By analyzing sport fishing photos, dated from 1956 to 2007, from the Key West area near Florida, researchers found that the average fish size dropped from about 23 kilograms to only 2.3 kilograms and that their average length shrank from nearly 2 metres to 35 centimetres.

Experts uncover secrets of the seas' past
David Adam Guardian UK May 24, 2009

From grainy pictures of 1950s sports fishermen proudly displaying their catches to the centuries-old logbooks of whaling vessels, historical records have helped scientists to piece together a picture of a time when there really were plenty more fish in the sea. In a ground-breaking project, experts from around the world have pored over records and trawled tax accounts and literary texts to help reconstruct the state of the world's oceans before the advent of industrial-scale fishing. They hope the study, which will be presented tomorrow, will allow for more realistic assessments of existing fisheries and better conservation of fish stocks. Poul Holm, an environmental historian at Trinity College Dublin and global chair of the project, said: "We now know that the distribution and abundance of marine animal populations change dramatically over time. Climate and humanity forces changes, and while few marine species have gone extinct, entire marine ecosystems may have been depleted beyond recovery. "Understanding historical patterns of resource exploitation and identifying what has actually been lost in the habitat is essential to develop and implement recovery plans." ...

Census of Marine Life brings hope of revival to the seas
Frank Pope, The Times UK May 25, 2009

Three hundred years ago the view from the cliffs of Cornwall would have been very different. Rather than today’s lonely fishing trawlers, the scene was dominated by the glistening bulk of blue whales. Huge schools of harbour porpoise chased shoals of fish so thick they darkened the water, while common dolphins filled the inland waters. Eighteen-foot orca menaced the mammals, while schools of blue sharks harassed fishermen who ventured out to dip their nets. The vision may seem like the stuff of legend, but by delving into ship’s logs, ancient manuscripts, tax records, legal documents and even the devoted labours of monks living in Russia’s frozen north, an international team of researchers — part of the ten-year Census of Marine Life — has revealed the teeming abundance of life that once filled the seas not just off Britain but around the world. “We hope to be able to use this data to reverse the trend that we’ve been seeing,” Poul Holm, global chairman of the History of Marine Animal Population project, told The Times. “Lots of fish management is done using only 25-30 years of data. Using the timescales gives a much more realistic picture.” The project’s findings reveal not only how much has been lost, but how far the sea can be expected to rebound, if given a chance. It is hoped that, by providing an accurate vision of Cornwall’s past productivity, the public and policymakers can be motivated to help its recovery. “History is a powerful motivator,” Professor Holm said. ...

The oceans ain't what they used to be, say researchers
Jered Stuffco CTV News Canada May 24, 2009

Only decades before the factories of the industrial revolution sullied Europe's skies with smog in the 19th Century, coastal Great Britain teemed with marine wildlife like dolphins, orcas and blue whales, according to a new study. Seven seas away, during the early 1800s, the waters surrounding New Zealand were home to nearly 30,000 southern right whales, which researches say is about 30 times today's population. Those historical sketches are just some of the findings to be showcased during the Census of Marine Life conference, which takes place in Vancouver from May 26 - 28. While the contention that today's oceans are less populated than they used to be isn't new -- school kids are taught that John Cabot's crew caught fish in Newfoundland with only a basket -- the experts behind the data say their findings are important in terms of perception and conservation. According to University of New Hampshire researcher Andy Rosenberg, recent observations of the world's waterways have skewed perceptions about the health of our rivers, lakes and oceans. Rosenberg, a top researcher for the Census' History of Marine Animal Population (HMAP) project, also says the historical findings are forcing officials to confront current preservation efforts. ...