Fishing at sea, an ancient trade and a way of life that has defined coastal towns throughout history, may be coming to an end. The culture and traditions of coastal Britain and of seagoing nations everywhere are now threatened with extinction. Celebrated author Mark Kurlansky explores the fate of our oceans and the decline of our most ancient coastal enterprise. The book sends up a timely distress flare, one that brilliantly illuminates a colorful, exuberant, and poignant landscape, from Newlyn in Cornwall to Gloucester in Massachusetts. The result is a cultural, economic, environmental, and culinary bouillabaisse, the most compelling fish tale of our time.