Rapid decline in freshwater fish populations

[Barrett808]

Just a few hundred years ago, the world's rivers and lakes teemed with gigantic fish. Freshwater fish were so plentiful that they were used to feed farm animals and fishermen found it hard not to make a catch, according to a new review of historical accounts. ...

"When you look at these accounts, it is pretty amazing how abundant and especially how large these fish species were that people wrote about," said Kirk Winemiller, a fisheries ecologist at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. "We have a very inaccurate view of that history. ...

http://desdemonadespair.blogspot.com/2009/09/rapid-decline-in-freshwater-fish.html

[Sinistrous]

1. Even during my brief period of observation,

I believe I see a reduction in the size of the fish that get to market. The species that I notice in particular is flounder. I can't bring myself to buy those tiny little things.

[One_Life_To_Give]

2. I'll second the flounder decline

They could be caught easily even by this little shaver. (Even if mom or dad had to help reel them in for me.) But that was 40 yhears ago. Now you have to work to find where they are. Even Scup season( Yeah now they have one) closes in another couple weeks.

So when my parents generation tells of how good the fishing was in the 30's and 40's. I don't doubt them.