Eat Like a Fish

My Adventures as a Fisherman Turned Restorative Ocean Farmer

By: Bren Smith

Narrated by: Bren Smith

Part memoir, part manifesto, in Eat Like a Fish Bren Smith - a former commercial fisherman turned restorative ocean farmer - shares a bold new vision for the future of food: seaweed.

Through tales that span from his childhood in Newfoundland to his early years on the high seas aboard commercial fishing trawlers, from pioneering new forms of ocean farming to surfing the frontiers of the food movement, Smith introduces the world of sea-based agriculture and advocates getting ocean vegetables onto American plates (there are thousands of edible varieties in the sea!).

Here he shows how we can transform our food system while enjoying delicious, nutritious, locally grown food and how restorative ocean farming has the potential to create millions of new jobs and protect our planet in the face of climate change, rising populations, and finite food resources. Also included are recipes from acclaimed chefs Brooks Headley and David Santos.

Written with the humor and swagger of a fisherman telling a late-night tale, this is a monumental work of deeply personal food policy that will profoundly change the way we think about what we eat.

Includes a PDF of sea greens recipes by chefs Brooks Headley and David Santos.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2019 Bren Smith (P)2019 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Bren Smith is a hero of ours - not just for his ingenious vertical farming of kelp and shellfish in the Thimble Islands, but for facing squarely the root causes of one crisis with many symptoms: climate change, desertification, obesity and hunger. This book shows us new ways to grow food and make a living that can both heal the planet and make life more satisfying.” (Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia)

“What a remarkable book! Bren Smith has a (wild) life story to recount, a novel food-growing technique to describe, and a planet to help save. He’s a deft enough writer to pull it all off, with a wry joy that left me (more than usually) hopeful about our future.”(Bill McKibben, New York Times best-selling author of Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet and Radio Free Vermont)

“Part memoir, part treatise on the life of a professional fisherman, part manual for the future of eating worldwide, this unique book cannot help but make readers think long and hard about the fate of the earth as it faces the challenges of global warming and the outlook for feeding the planet.... Smith has now become a visionary leader in cultivating what may turn out to be a primary source of the world’s food. This is a book about a man as well as a book about an idea.... Readers will learn more about ocean farming here than they learned about whaling from Moby Dick, and will walk away with a handful of practical, tasty seaweed recipes to boot.” (Booklist, starred review)

Life changing

This book is a must read for anyone who lives on this planet and eats food. It’s a Ray of hope that intentional people can learn to live in balance with our environment and create an economic model that supports our communities and the good people who feed us. Bren Smith lays out a clear vision of change, actions for individuals to take and an opportunity to share and expand the good work he has started.

Geat story, even better history in the making

I definitely ate this book like a fish, a very hungry one. really Loved it!

Interesting view into another world

Interesting view into a world I knew nothing about. It would be nice to be able to Invest in a farm or a few as a limited partner and be able to participate as an inland person. The lack of warm water (Gulf of Mexico) discussion leaves me wondering why.

Great intro to sea greens farming

Bren entertains with his personal story all while bouncing between practical farming techniques, environmental benefits, as well as legal, moral, and economic aspects of ocean farming. Well researched and delivered with heart and honesty. Bren, thank you for sharing.
I came across this book in a deliberate search for exploring sea green farming, harvest, and use. Although it is focused on cold water farming while I live in tropical pacific Mexico, it gave me a great introduction and inspires me to look further and start experimenting.

In extraterrestrial land…

Thanks for sharing your story Bren. I recommend individuals to read it. This book let you know what’s happening in the ocean, and the life in the ocean too. I learn about sharks, you know! “the human sharks”. Crazy!… How can we get rid of them? Seriously! Build smaller, sustainable for the community is a biomimicry way of doing. And please don’t expect money, expect connection 🙏🏽

Life Changing for all of us.

I genuinely feel like the contents of this book will change how we eat and how we maintain our planet, forever redefining the relationship between humans and nature. Thank you for changing my life.

highly recommended!

From someone who didn't know a lot about aquaculture and ocean farming, I feel like I can now have a conversation about it and not feel dumb! Bren is a down to earth, relatable guy and breaths reality into a subject that often seems like a pie in the sky dream- sustainable food sources. The book was enjoyable, educational, and had my mouth watering to boot! I tried buying some seaweed pasta at one of the in-store locations that carried the product according to the website, but they didn't have it :-( I'll keep trying!

The development of ocean farming and foods

A personal journey in finding a purpose to match a passion for the ocean and a solution to some of the climate crisis problems. Includes the history of aquaculture and challenges that evolved, as well as technical advise and resources.

Everything i wanted in a memoir

Loved this guy’s stories. Bought it because i heard an interview with the author. I didn’t think fishing or seaweed or food production could be a topic that would be interesting to me at all, but man how he weaved this into an entertaining and fun read!

A must read

I don’t rate/ review often but d*mn this ones good. This guys raw and real and spittin what the world needs to hear.