After measuring the size of nearly 1 million fish and sharks over a 14-year period, researchers concluded that the species grew larger in remote and protected locations, free from the interference of fishing.
The study, published Thursday in the journal Science, used baited underwater video stations to measure the size of 823,849 fish from 1,460 species from 2006 to 2020.
Science
It found that individual fish and sharks grew larger in remote marine-protected areas (MPAs) in both open water and seafloor ecosystems. Fish size was also found to be an important indicator of overall ocean health.
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The researchers said that adding more remote, open areas should be a top priority as global efforts continue to protect 30 percent of the ocean by 2030.
