The Big Dig Presents: Catching The Codfather Catching The Codfather | 5. Painting Fish
Mar 11, 2026
Agents uncover secret ledgers and a cryptic system called "painting fish" that explains a major seafood fraud. NOAA scientists decode the jargon and reveal how survey methods and quota rules made misreporting possible. The story tracks changing survey gear, quota cuts, choke species problems, and how vertical integration and the auction system enabled the scheme.
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How NOAA Counts Fish With Trawl Surveys
- NOAA trawl surveys produce randomized samples used to estimate total allowable catch each year.
- Scientists tow a fine-mesh net at lottery-style locations for 30 minutes to capture a consistent sample across decades.
Fisherman Exposed Flaws In NOAA's Net
- Fisherman Tony Alvarez joined NOAA surveys and found the Albatross net outdated and flawed for capturing groundfish.
- He showed NOAA staff how rollers and net design biased catches and argued the net 'made scripture' for regulations.
Catch Shares Force A Single Number Problem
- Catch-share regulation demands a single hard total allowable catch number each year, forcing clear quotas for fishermen.
- That rigidity amplifies disputes when survey methods or environmental conditions change, because you can't express nuance in one number.