An Australian TV show recently featured a chef frying fish during a cooking segment, but the fish turned out to be a near-extinct species. Both the broadcaster and chef have issued apologies after facing criticism from fishermen.
ORF, a public radio and TV broadcaster in Austria, also apologized for cooking a Frauennerfling fish, as reported by AFP.
The chef expressed regret, explaining that he had asked a friend to provide him with fish for a Lent-friendly meal segment on the show. During Lent, practicing Christians typically avoid eating meat on Fridays, according to AFP.
“It was a series of unfortunate events because I trusted my friend who had a license to fish a related species and assumed it included this fish,” he told AFP over the phone.
Die Presse, a local publication, reported that during a recent episode of the show “Niederösterreich Today,” host Claudia Schubert issued an apology, acknowledging the mistake in cooking the protected Frauennerfling fish.
The Frauennerfling fish has been on Austria’s red list since 2002 and is facing extinction, according to AFP.
Referred to as a “female nerfling” in translations or a “pigo,” hunting of this carp has been prohibited year-round since 1998 in Germany and since at least 2006 in Bavaria. It has been classified as endangered by the ICUN, a United Nations-affiliated conservation organization, since 2013.
Gregor Gravogl, director of Austria’s fishery association, expressed sadness over the incident and confirmed that a complaint had been filed regarding the fishing of this endangered species. “This is an extremely unfortunate event that I have not encountered in my career before,” Gravogl said.
The recipe from the cooking segment is still available online, emphasizing that the fish should be sourced from a trusted fisherman, according to AFP.
CBS News has reached out to ORF and Gravogl for further information and is awaiting a response.
