Prehistoric Vs. Modern Baltic Sea Cod Fisheries: Selectivity Across The Millennia

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Also Included In: Water - Air Quality / Agriculture
Article Date: 27 Aug 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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We compared the current Baltic Sea cod fishery, now in serious decline, to a Neolithic fishery that occurred on the island of Gotland, Sweden, some 4,500 years ago.

This ancient fishery could be reconstructed by using a rare collection of well-preserved otoliths (ear-stones) found in a human settlement called Ajvide.

By counting and measuring the age-rings on these otoliths, and comparing them to modern Baltic cod, we determined that Neolithic cod were larger and older than modern ones, but did not have as high growth or mortality rates.

However, as in modern times, selectivity by Neolithic fishers was evident.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Proceedings B is the Royal Society's flagship biological research journal, dedicated to the rapid publication and broad dissemination of high-quality research papers, reviews and comment and reply papers. The scope of journal is diverse and is especially strong in organismal biology.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences