Warmer seas are becoming smaller fish

In the last four decades, the North sea species have decreased in size approximately 29%, and scientists believe that rising temperatures may be the factor that is to trigger the declining size of the fish.

The researchers concluded that the maximum size of the haddock, herring, halibut, flounder, whiting and pout declined about 29 percent over the past 38 years, while temperatures in the North Sea have increased by between one to two degrees Celsius.

Scientists at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, also indicate that the availability of food and fisheries increase can be plausible factors for the decrease in size. But, the decrease "synchronized" in size several fish species lead researchers to believe that the increase in temperature of water is the factor which is making the smaller fish.

"Our analysis indicates that most species of fish examined experienced a synchronized size reduction over the period analyzed," said Alan Baudron, researcher who led the study. "What's interesting is that the decrease was observed in a wide range of species have different diets, live the different depths and experience different levels of mortality caused by fishing," he adds.

According to investigators, referred to by the Guardian, warmer waters make the fish grow faster, which makes it grow so much. "The period of maximum size reduction coincided with years when temperatures of the waters of the North Sea have increased," said Baudron.

Foto: Derek Keats / Creative Commons

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