Fish consumption has well-publicised health benefits but, in the United Kingdom, present-day consumption is limited to a narrow range of species. The history of fish consumption remains under-examined yet could provide insights as to why British consumers ended up with such a restricted palette. Using a domestic magazine published over the past century, I examine the prominence of different fish species in published recipes, with the aim to glean insights into changing societal tastes. Sub-sampling of issues published from 1923-2025 provided 1190 fish recipes containing 66 species or species categories. The most frequently mentioned were salmon (n=207), prawns (n=205), haddock (n=112), anchovy (n=108), cod (n=96) and tuna (n=81). Of these, salmon, prawns, anchovy and haddock remained consistently visible throughout the time series. In contrast, mentions of herring, sole and oyster declined while the frequency of tuna and cod mentions increased. While the total number of species per decade did not change over time, fewer species began to dominate published fish recipes from the 1970s, and the composition of species differed significantly in latter decades. These findings suggest that, while some species have a long record of cultural visibility, associated with persistent consumer preferences, the present domination of British cuisine by a narrow range of fish species has limited historical precedence. While sources prevent an explanation of the drivers of change, the timings suggest both market and ecological drivers played a role in the occurrence of fish species within British recipes. Future research should explore whether these patterns persist across a broader selection of sources and determine the relationship between the visibility of fish in published recipes and the strength of consumer preference.
Ruth H. Thurstan (Fri,) studied this question.