Extractions of North Atlantic cod and herring, 1520-1790

We estimate total landings of two major commercial fish species, North Atlantic cod and Northeast Atlantic herring, c 1520-1790. The fisheries evolved through two phases of Accelerated Marine Extraction in the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. Total landings more than doubled between 1520 and 1620 from about 220,000 metric tonnes to 460,000 MT. A decline of landings in the second half of the 17th century was likely linked to widespread warfare and climate deterioration. Rapid and sustained growth began again around 1725, and total supplies to the European market peaked in 1788 at more than 1 million MT before the unrest connected with the French Revolution ground many fisheries to a temporary halt. Extractions vastly exceeded previous assessments. The findings shift baseline assumptions about past human impact on marine animals, especially cod.<br><br>本研究估算了约1520年至1790年间两种主要商业鱼类——北大西洋鳕鱼（North Atlantic cod）与东北大西洋鲱鱼（Northeast Atlantic herring）的总上岸量。该渔业活动历经16世纪与18世纪两次海洋捕捞加速扩张阶段。1520年至1620年，总上岸量从约22万公吨增至46万公吨，增幅逾一倍。17世纪下半叶的上岸量下滑，大概率与大范围战乱及气候恶化相关。约1725年，捕捞活动再度迎来快速且持续的增长，欧洲市场的总供应量在1788年达到峰值，突破100万公吨；随后法国大革命引发的动荡致使多数渔业暂时停摆。本次研究估算的捕捞量远超此前的评估结果，其结论改写了过往关于人类活动对海洋生物（尤以鳕鱼为甚）影响的基准假设。