Almost a third of young Britons think Salman Rushdie is a fish dish and not a prize-winning author, a survey found.
A total of 29 per cent of 25 to 34-year-olds insisted they have tucked into Rushdie, the Indian-born writer against whom Iran issued a ‘fatwa’ death threat in the 1980s.
Meanwhile, nearly 20 per cent thought prawn cocktail contains alcohol. Some 30 per cent of adults of all ages believed sushi is a fish.
Almost a third of young Britons think Salman Rushdie (pictured in 2019) is a fish dish and not a prize-winning author, a survey found
Almost half did not know that a mullet is a fish as well as a hairstyle, according to the poll of 2,000 people by fishmonger Wright Brothers.
A fifth of millennials also worry about wading in British waters – for fear that they will encounter great white sharks, which prefer the tropics of Australia and South Africa.
While millennials stood out, adults of all ages harbour major fallacies about fish, according to the study.
Over a quarter of us believe calamari is a fish instead of deep-fried squid, and a third 30 per cent are convinced sushi is a fish that swims in the ocean.
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Half of Britons didn’t realise dogfish were real, 12 per cent had no idea fish had noses and nearly half of respondents did not know that a mullet is a fish as well as a hairstyle.
Some 30 per cent of adults of all ages believed sushi is a fish and nearly 20 per cent thought prawn cocktail contains alcohol (file photo used)
The gaps in our knowledge could stem from the decline in traditional fish dishes such as jellied eels – with just 5 per cent of 10 to 25 year olds having tried them.
Wright Brothers co-founder Robin Hancock encouraged people to educate themselves about fish to embrace Britain’s wealth of seafood.
‘Clearly, Brits struggle to identify fish fact from fiction,’ he said.
‘The UK is an island surrounded by seas which produce some of the best seafood in the world, however much of it is exported abroad.
‘I encourage the nation to broaden their palette – it will introduce you to a world of flavour, texture and even health benefits.’
The fishmonger also said that knowing about seasonality is vital for promoting healthy seafood stocks and added: ‘Sustainability will remain high on the agenda and it’s vital we all educate ourselves on how our individual contribution to protecting the planet can make a big difference.’
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