Radio

Catch of the Day

How one of the strangest, and frankly blandest-tasting animals you’ll ever encounter, might just be exactly the fish the planet needs
(Ben Shannon/CBC)

This week, we swim into tilapia-filled waters for a deep dive into how this fascinating (and, frankly, bland-tasting) fish became one of the world's go-to seafoods — and why that might be great news for the future of the planet. 

  • Tilapia farmer Roger Bushey gives Chris a tour of Sandplains Aquaculture in rural Ontario, where they can move 10 tonnes of tilapia per hour.
  • Self-described "tilapia businessman" Mike Picchietti on tilapia's long journey from the Peace Corps to your dinner plate at Applebee's. 
  • Dartmouth professor of Sustainability Science Anne Kapuscinski on why tilapia might just the aquatic saviour we need. And she talks about how beer is tied to her breakthrough research with Pallab Sarker.
  • Seafood distributor Andy Ip's Beaver Fishery supplies live tilapia to grocery stores around the Greater Toronto Area — and he has a steamer on hand to ensure that none of them have that notorious "muddy" taste. 
  • Nick Liu, owner and chef at DaiLo restaurant in Toronto, grew up eating tilapia. He cooks up the humble fish for the first time in years and recreates an old family recipe.