Tracing the Early Origins of the Atlantic Herring Trade Using Ancient DNA

• Main Author: Atmore, Lane M
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English

This is a thesis about the Atlantic herring – a small, unassuming silver fish that holds a special place in the hearts and history of many northern Europeans. Having been fished for thousands of years in the north Atlantic, herring have had a long, intertwined relationship with us. Their impact on humans – wealth, culture, nutrition – is well-documented. Yet our impact on them is less well-characterized. In order to assess the impact humans have had on the Atlantic herring, I collected archaeological herring specimens from around Europe and used these bones for ancient DNA analysis. These analyses were then used to reconstruct herring demography from the last 1200 years and compare demographic trends with existing historical, archaeological, and palaeoclimate data. This research required the development of new approaches in theory, computation, and laboratory work in order to mitigate the challenges associated with using archaeological remains. These newly-developed techniques were applied to a case study, the Baltic herring. I found dramatic impacts on herring populations in the Baltic that are consistent with classic patterns of serial resource depletion beginning 1200 years ago. Research such as this can provide crucial information for sustainable management as we as a society deal with the issues of anthropogenic pollution and climate change and ongoing over-exploitation in the marine environment.