The Future of Fish and Chips

Homeownership is the largest source of wealth for most American families, and obtaining a safe, traditional 15-to-30-year mortgage is a key step toward achieving financial security. But outdated housing policies and financial regulations have made small mortgages—those for homes priced under $150,000—expensive for lenders and unavailable for millions of qualified and creditworthy borrowers, especially Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous households and those in rural communities. With limited access to small mortgages, many of these families turn to alternative financing arrangements, which often involve financial risks and lack many of the protections traditional mortgages offer.

Stat: North Sea cod have nearly tripled since 2006 to 118,000 tons.

Summary: Overfishing has strained most global fish stocks. But the European Union has made progress bringing back one popular species: North Sea cod. The flaky white fish—a British staple when battered and served with chips—has rebounded after plummeting to critically low levels in the late 2000s. In this episode, we go to one of London’s oldest fish and chips restaurants and learn how quotas can be used to help other stocks recover.

Related Resources:

• EU Needs Swift Progress to End Overfishing by 2020 Deadline
• EU Shows Progress on Ending Overfishing But Must Push to Meet Deadline
• How to End Overfishing in the EU
• 10 Reasons to End Overfishing in Europe
• A Fair Fishing Deal