
People & Culture
The cod delusion
A moratorium on cod fishing that was supposed to last two years has now lasted 30. What will it take to rebuild cod stocks — and a way of life?
- 3232 words
- 13 minutes
Travel
Well-known for its long shoreline and parks, Wisconsin’s Door Country is surrounded by water, making it one of the most picturesque hidden gems in North America
As Canadians, we think we know every permutation of “cottage country”. But have you heard of the “Cape Cod of the Midwest”. In this episode, we take you there. Spoiler alert — there will be deep-fried cheese curds.
Look at a map of Wisconsin, U.S., and you’ll see the peninsula jutting out into Lake Michigan on the eastern side of the state, kind of like a thumb — that’s Door County. The Door County Peninsula, with Green Bay on the western flank, has long been kind of a midwest cottage country, actually for more than a century. And not surprisingly this region’s history all connects to water, from boat-building to bayside family-run lodges, restaurants and boutique business of every kind. There are quaint white clapboard towns along 300 miles of shoreline, something from another era, all with ocean-like views (though yes, it is Lake Michigan). And the rocky alkaline soils of the Niagara Escarpment that define the geography of Door County also create perfect conditions for growing cherry trees, apple trees, and a multitude of other agricultural delights. Fun fact: Door County has the largest number of historic lighthouses of any county in America — who would think Wisconsin could boast that? Today we explore it all with award-winning NPR podcaster and radio personality Tom Wilmer. Listen in…
Special thanks to James Gray for our theme song music.
People & Culture
A moratorium on cod fishing that was supposed to last two years has now lasted 30. What will it take to rebuild cod stocks — and a way of life?
Environment
The animated short film called Last Fish, First Boat recounts the 1992 cod moratorium
Mapping
A bountiful cod industry is pictured on a 1920s map. Decades later, a moratorium would change everything.
Wildlife
Writer Stephen Smith takes to Newfoundland’s shores in his quest to see the ‘capelin roll’ — the spawning spectacle of a tiny fish with a massive ecological, historical and cultural impact