Herring population loses migration 'memory' after heavy fishing

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May 7, 2025

Guest

David Adam

Guest

Aral Slotter

Aral Slotter, a researcher from the University of Marine Research in Norway, and David Adam, a writer focusing on AI's impact on mental health, dive into intriguing subjects. They discuss how selective fishing has disrupted herring migration, leading to a loss of traditional spawning knowledge among younger fish. This has implications for ecosystem health. They also explore the rise of AI companions, addressing their emotional benefits and the challenges these relationships pose for mental well-being and social skills.

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INSIGHT

Herring Migration Learned Socially

Young herring learn migration routes by following older, experienced fish during schooling.
Overfishing older fish disrupts this knowledge transfer, causing population shifts in spawning sites.

INSIGHT

Fishing Disrupts Herring Migration

Heavy fishing of older herring likely caused the rapid shift northward in spawning areas.
Older fish teach younger ones optimal migration routes and maintain ecosystem balance.

INSIGHT

Climate Not Main Cause for Shift

Climate change and energy constraints did not directly cause the spawning shift.
The population dynamics and loss of older fish hold greater influence on migration changes.

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00:46 How fishing activity altered the migration pattern of Herring

Selective fishing of older herring has resulted in a large shift in the migration pattern of these fish, according to new research. For years, herring have visited sites on the south coast of Norway to spawn, but in 2020 a rapid shift was seen, with the fish instead visiting areas hundreds of kilometres to the north. Researchers have concluded that too many older fish have been removed from these waters, preventing the knowledge of the best spawning grounds being passed to younger, less experienced fish. This finding shows how human activity can affect animal migration, which could have serious consequences for the delicately balanced ecosystems built around them.

Research article: Slotte et al.

10:37 Research Highlights

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13:02 How might AI companions affect users’ mental health?

AI companions — apps where humans build relationships with computers — are hugely popular, with millions of people around the world using them. But despite increased social and political attention, research investigating how these systems can affect users has been lacking. We find out about the latest research in this space.

News Feature: Supportive? Addictive? Abusive? How AI companions affect our mental health

24:52 Briefing Chat

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