Forget the Piranha, it’s the Patagonian Toothfish — with its creepy grin and jagged rows of needle-like chompers — that has Australians hooked. It’s been a while since Toothfish has been available to anyone with an eye for sustainability, but after years of Toothfish mismanagement and a devastating drop in fish numbers due to the illegal harvesting activities of rogue fishermen, the tides are about to turn. Concerted efforts to rebuild the numbers of these fish and to introduce a manageable and sustainable source has seen Glacier 51 produce a “best choice” supply of Toothfish, putting Patagonian Toothfish back on the menu. Indeed, you might just notice it surfacing at some of your favorite restaurants around town.
Prized for its oily, firm, white flesh and wonderful flavor, it’s a fish that comes shrouded in stories of epic journeys to reach the hazardous fishing grounds of Heard Island in the Australian Antarctic territory, over 4,000 km from mainland Australia through some of wildest seas on Earth. Typically fished in waters thousands of meters deep in circumstances that make the fishing TV series Deadliest Catch look tame, Toothfish can live up to 50 years and weigh in at over 100 kilograms in the right circumstances.
