MIKE BRAUN The fish you eat may be a fluke

When you go to a restaurant and order fish, do you ever wonder if you're really getting the scrod, mahi-mahi, sea bass or sole you ordered?
According to an article in the current issue of Boating, self-described as the world's largest boating magazine, sometimes diners may not be getting exactly what type of fish they thought they ordered.
Randy Steele, editor-in-chief of the magazine, said: "Restaurants and fishmongers have played fast and loose with the names of seafood stocks for a long time."
Steele said restaurantgoers who order "whitefish" should realize that there are nearly 100 fish that fall under that category.
The magazine's July issue included this list of fish names that may change from dockside to the menu:
Cod to scrod, haddock, pollock or hake
Fluke, mud dab, plaice, sand dab, sundial, blackback and doormat to flounder, sole, halibut
Toothfish to Chilean sea bass
Rockfish or linesides to striped bass
Dophinfish, dorado to mahi-mahi
Conch to scungilli
Squid to calamari
Steelhead to rainbow trout
Coho salmon to silver salmon
Chinook salmon to king salmon
Rock bass to sea bass
Longfin tuna to albacore
Yellowfin tuna to Aha
Tautog to blackfish.
Dangerous substitute
Also in the July issue is an article on cell phone use while boating.
Boating reports that boaters who rely on a cell phone instead of a VHF radio are making a serious mistake.
"A VHF radio is as important to have as a life jacket," said Robert David of the National Boating Federation.
He said cell phone coverage may not go as far as you think off-shore. Other boaters can't monitor distress calls made via cell phone as they can via VHF. Coast Guard units can't pinpoint cell phone calls on the water, while VHF calls can be triangulated for location purposes. And dialing 911 gets you a police or fire department, actually delaying help while the safety department locates the proper authorities.
Most important of all, David said, is that most boating-based rescuers will be only able to contact the party needing rescued via the VHF.
Cleaning is a breeze
And finally, the July issue brings a column on the best boat cleaning products.
No, the list doesn't contain a litany of high-cost, imported products made specifically for boats. Rather, most of the products recommended are ones you probably have around the house.
Boating made the following recommendations:
Bilge cleaner: "Joy dishwashing soap -- not Dawn, not Palmolive. Only Joy does the job as a great, inexpensive bilge cleaner."
Nonslip cleaner: "Soft Scrub with bleach is the best deck cleaner out there. Better than any dedicated 'marine' cleaner we've tested."
Vinyl and plastic cleaner: Marykate Spray Away (All purpose spray cleaner). "We have no idea what's in this stuff, but we love it."
Stain removal: Star-brite Marine Polish. "We use it first to get out stains and scratches in fiberglass before going for the rough stuff."
braun@vindy.com