---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If ever there was a fish made to endure…"
description: "\"If ever there was a fish made to endure, it is the Atlantic cod... But it has among its predators - man, an openmouthed species greedier than cod.\" — M..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/mark-kurlansky-1988_boat_if-ever-there-was-a-fish-made-to-endure_1904430.png"
---

#  If ever there was a fish made to endure, it is the…

![“If ever there was a fish made to endure, it is the Atlantic cod... But it has among its predators - man, an openmouthed species greedier than cod.” quote by Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/mark-kurlansky-1988_boat_if-ever-there-was-a-fish-made-to-endure_1904430.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/mark-kurlansky-1988_boat_if-ever-there-was-a-fish-made-to-endure_1904430.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/mark-kurlansky-1988_boat_if-ever-there-was-a-fish-made-to-endure_1904430.png)

> “If ever there was a fish made to endure, it is the Atlantic cod... But it has among its predators - man, an openmouthed species greedier than cod.”

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The Atlantic cod is resilient, yet human greed threatens its survival.

**In simple terms:** Cod survives, but humans overexploit it.

Key Takeaway

Balance exploitation with conservation.

Themes

environment greed conservation

Mood

concerned analytical

Type

environmental educational

When to use this quote

- fishing industry
- policy making
- consumer choices

Key Concepts

sustainability resource management ecosystem balance

Questions to Reflect On

- How can societies curb overfishing?
- What alternatives exist to reduce demand?

A Different Perspective

Economic pressures can conflict with ecological needs.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Atlantic Cod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atlantic-cod-1133902/) [Boat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boat/) [Cod Predators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cod-predators-2830398/) [Endure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endure/) [Fish Endure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fish-endure-2830401/) [Fishes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fishes/) [Fishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fishing/) [Greedier Cod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greedier-cod-2830400/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Lakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lakes/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Predator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/predator/) [Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivers/) [Sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea/) [Species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/species/) [Species Greedier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/species-greedier-2830399/)

## Related quotes

> [It's harder to kill off fish than mammals. But after 1,000 years of hunting the Atlantic cod, we know that it can be done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/it-s-harder-to-kill-off-fish-than-mammals-but-after-1-000-years-of/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

> [We associate the North Atlantic with cod. The motto of Newfoundland used to be 'In cod we trust.' It was a joke, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-winchester/we-associate-the-north-atlantic-with-cod-the-motto-of-newfoundland/)

[Simon Winchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-winchester/)

> [Man wants to see nature and evolution as separate from human activities. There is a natural world, and there is man. But man also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/man-wants-to-see-nature-and-evolution-as-separate-from-human/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

> [I've fought against transnational gangs. I took on the biggest banks and helped take down one of the biggest for-profit colleges. I know a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/i-ve-fought-against-transnational-gangs-i-took-on-the-biggest-banks/)

[Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/)

> [Sloths have no real natural body odor, which helps hide and protect them from potential predators. As a result, their natural smell is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-burton/sloths-have-no-real-natural-body-odor-which-helps-hide-and-protect/)

[Ann Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-burton/)

> [When the planes still swoop down and aerial spray a field in order to kill a predator insect with pesticides, we are in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/when-the-planes-still-swoop-down-and-aerial-spray-a-field-in-order-to/)

[Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/)

> [Without sharks, you take away the apex predator of the ocean, and you destroy the entire food chain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/without-sharks-you-take-away-the-apex-predator-of-the-ocean-and-you/)

[Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/)

> [The shark is the apex predator in the sea. Sharks have molded evolution for 450 million years. All fish species that are prey to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/the-shark-is-the-apex-predator-in-the-sea-sharks-have-molded/)

[Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/)

> [Terror is the instinct that tells you to run, dear God, run, she murmured. Run for your life. But it just makes you into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-richardson/terror-is-the-instinct-that-tells-you-to-run-dear-god-run-she/)

[Kat Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-richardson/)

> [The zombie is in a lot of ways the perfect horror movie bad guy. It plays on so many fears all at once. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gunn/the-zombie-is-in-a-lot-of-ways-the-perfect-horror-movie-bad-guy-it/)

[James Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gunn/)

> [Suddenly all those careful preparations disintegrated as predators far more dangerous than the walking dead proved what all wise killers already knew: that nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-maberry/suddenly-all-those-careful-preparations-disintegrated-as-predators/)

[Jonathan Maberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-maberry/)

> [I'm tough when I have to be, tender when I should be. When you find a really tough guy, he's not a predator. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mr-t/i-m-tough-when-i-have-to-be-tender-when-i-should-be-when-you-find-a/)

[Mr. T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mr-t/)

> [Heartless though it may seem to some, among the least harmful things to eat are sustainably culled wild animals. In the absence of natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristram-stuart/heartless-though-it-may-seem-to-some-among-the-least-harmful-things/)

[Tristram Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristram-stuart/)

> [“Ah, but when one predator leaves, another inevitably will take its place. A void never remains a void for long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-t-baron/ah-but-when-one-predator-leaves-another-inevitably-will-take-its/)

[A.T. Baron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-t-baron/)

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

## More by Mark Kurlansky

> [“A 1670 revision of the criminal code found yet another use for salt in France. To enforce the law against suicide, it was ordered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/a-1670-revision-of-the-criminal-code-found-yet-another-use-for-salt/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

> [“The Romans, Jones pointed out, called a man in love salax, in a salted state, which is the origin of the word salacious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/the-romans-jones-pointed-out-called-a-man-in-love-salax-in-a-salted/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

> [When you're in theater, you inevitably wind up working in restaurants. I made pastry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/when-you-re-in-theater-you-inevitably-wind-up-working-in-restaurants/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

> [“For a time, the Hanseatics were well appreciated as honorable merchants who ensured quality and fought against unscrupulous practices. They were known as Easterlings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/for-a-time-the-hanseatics-were-well-appreciated-as-honorable/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

> [I blurbed a nice book, not at all like my book 'The Big Oyster,' called 'The Essential Oyster.' I blurbed a pretty good book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/i-blurbed-a-nice-book-not-at-all-like-my-book-the-big-oyster-called/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

> [The entire trendy foodie world - food writing, food television, celebrated restaurants - is all about food for the rich. But the most important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/the-entire-trendy-foodie-world-food-writing-food-television/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

> [One of the truly horrible things about the Holocaust is that it doesn't end in 1945. It keeps affecting our lives in the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/one-of-the-truly-horrible-things-about-the-holocaust-is-that-it-doesn/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

> [It's true that writing and pastry-making are similar, but when you work as a pastry chef, you can get a kind of mania that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/it-s-true-that-writing-and-pastry-making-are-similar-but-when-you/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

> [Food is interesting to me because it's a way of understanding culture and societies and history. I would never write about food just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/food-is-interesting-to-me-because-it-s-a-way-of-understanding-culture/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

> [THE ROMANS SALTED their greens, believing this to counteract the natural bitterness, which is the origin of the word salad, salted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/the-romans-salted-their-greens-believing-this-to-counteract-the/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

> [Religion is a big problem in Israel and the Arab world, but again, the problem isn't religion but political leaders who want to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/religion-is-a-big-problem-in-israel-and-the-arab-world-but-again-the/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

> [“It is a peculiarity of the English language that while most fish swim in schools, herring swim in shoals, a word of the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/it-is-a-peculiarity-of-the-english-language-that-while-most-fish-swim/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

> [“The painstakingly extracted purple dye was a luxury item of such prestige that the color purple became a way of showing wealth and power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/the-painstakingly-extracted-purple-dye-was-a-luxury-item-of-such/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

> [Don't forget the Vietnam War was brought to us by Democrats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/don-t-forget-the-vietnam-war-was-brought-to-us-by-democrats/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

> [So much of what I write in fiction is based on true stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/so-much-of-what-i-write-in-fiction-is-based-on-true-stories/)

[Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

[Explore all 193 Mark Kurlansky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/)

## More Boat quotes

> [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/)

[Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/)

> [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/)

[Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/)

> [Fly-fishing for wild trout on quiet waters must be one of the toughest and craziest ways to catch fish ever invented by man, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-voelker/fly-fishing-for-wild-trout-on-quiet-waters-must-be-one-of-the/)

[John D. Voelker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-voelker/)

> [It was just the sort of yatch you'd expect a rock promoter to have. Mirrored ceilings, marble, Jacuzzis and leopard-skin everything, it made the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-anderson/it-was-just-the-sort-of-yatch-you-d-expect-a-rock-promoter-to-have/)

[Pamela Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-anderson/)

> [It's a hindrance in trying to get a serious acting role. The minute a producer has a script and my name comes up, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbi-benton/it-s-a-hindrance-in-trying-to-get-a-serious-acting-role-the-minute-a/)

[Barbi Benton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbi-benton/)

> [Something I like to do a lot is just sit by water when there’s a current and just stare into the water. I don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/something-i-like-to-do-a-lot-is-just-sit-by-water-when-there-s-a/)

[Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/)

> [The trouble is, you can't properly present something you don't believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mcguane/the-trouble-is-you-can-t-properly-present-something-you-don-t-believe/)

[Thomas McGuane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mcguane/)

> [You know how this is: if I look at the crystal moon, at the red branch of the slow autumn at my window, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/you-know-how-this-is-if-i-look-at-the-crystal-moon-at-the-red-branch/)

[Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/)

> [A film is a boat which is always on the point of sinking-it always tends to break up as you go along and drag…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-truffaut/a-film-is-a-boat-which-is-always-on-the-point-of-sinking-it-always/)

[Francois Truffaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-truffaut/)

> [I took one guitar lesson, and they wanted me to play 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' or 'Michael Row the Boat Ashore,' and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-nielsen/i-took-one-guitar-lesson-and-they-wanted-me-to-play-mary-had-a-little/)

[Rick Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-nielsen/)

> [I was 35 years old and in a position to take a shot at whatever I wanted to try. The Air Force said I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-doyle/i-was-35-years-old-and-in-a-position-to-take-a-shot-at-whatever-i/)

[Jerry Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-doyle/)

> [We wanted a musical number that would capture the exhilaration of being out on a boat as they were and sailing with the stars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-musker/we-wanted-a-musical-number-that-would-capture-the-exhilaration-of/)

[John Musker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-musker/)

> [I thought I would try my hand at sailing. It was too small and kept sinking, so I decided to try a boat instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-jolly/i-thought-i-would-try-my-hand-at-sailing-it-was-too-small-and-kept/)

[Arthur M. Jolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-jolly/)

> [I once went down the Amazon and our boat got charged by Columbian policemen with guns and we all had to get on motorbikes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-skelton/i-once-went-down-the-amazon-and-our-boat-got-charged-by-columbian/)

[Helen Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-skelton/)

> [Most of the world is covered by water. A fisherman's job is simple: Pick out the best parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-w-waterman/most-of-the-world-is-covered-by-water-a-fisherman-s-job-is-simple/)

[Charles W. Waterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-w-waterman/)

[Browse all 1,788 Boat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boat/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If ever there was a fish made to endure, it is the Atlantic cod... But it has among its predators - man, an openmouthed species greedier than cod.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mark Kurlansky"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/if-ever-there-was-a-fish-made-to-endure-it-is-the-atlantic-cod-but-it/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Boat"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/if-ever-there-was-a-fish-made-to-endure-it-is-the-atlantic-cod-but-it/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/mark-kurlansky-1988_boat_if-ever-there-was-a-fish-made-to-endure_1904430.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/mark-kurlansky-1988_boat_if-ever-there-was-a-fish-made-to-endure_1904430.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/mark-kurlansky-1988_boat_if-ever-there-was-a-fish-made-to-endure_1904430.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If ever there was a fish made to endure, it is the Atlantic cod... But it has among its predators - man, an…” — Mark Kurlansky",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Mark Kurlansky",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If ever there was a fish...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/if-ever-there-was-a-fish-made-to-endure-it-is-the-atlantic-cod-but-it/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/if-ever-there-was-a-fish-made-to-endure-it-is-the-atlantic-cod-but-it/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
