What's in a Name?

The transformation of the Patagonian toothfish into "Chilean sea bass" is one of the seafood industry's most successful marketing coups. In 1977, fish wholesaler Lee Lantz decided that the unappetizing name "toothfish" was hurting sales of this (ahem) toothsome deep-water fish and simply renamed it. The FDA officially accepted "Chilean sea bass" as an alternative market name in 1994, and the fish became so popular it earned the nickname "white gold" among wholesalers. The new name does sacrifice something in the way of accuracy, though. First, the Chilean sea bass isn't really a bass; it belongs to the cod icefish family. Second, while some are caught near Chile, many come from Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters far from Chilean jurisdiction.

The toothfish wasn't alone in getting a makeover. The seafood industry has a long history of rebranding tasty fish with unappealing names into something consumers will actually order at restaurants. British pilchards saw sales increase 19% after being rebranded as Cornish sardines. Rat-tail became roundnose grenadier, goosefish became monkfish, dolphinfish became mahi mahi. And you’ve got to admit that "orange roughy" is a bit more appetizing than the original "slimehead."

Names are powerful in shaping consumer attitudes, proving that Shakespeare's famous question about roses and names doesn't apply when you're trying to sell fish. In the seafood market, a fish by any other name decidedly does not sell as sweet.