Beyond the scales: Marine archaeogenomics for the conservation and restoration of fisheries.

Abstract

Protection and restoration of marine environments are essential for food security and climate change mitigation. Yet historical and archaeological research have shown that conservation and management often rely on arbitrary ecological baselines in ecosystems already shaped by long-term human impacts. Archaeogenomics, the combination of ancient DNA (aDNA) and whole-genome sequencing, provides invaluable insights into these impacts. Recent improvements in laboratory and computational techniques enable the assessment of past fish population dynamics, migration patterns, historical trade routes, long-term anthropogenic pressures, and responses to environmental change. This Review compiles aDNA research on archaeological fish remains, emphasizing studies from 2020 to 2025 that used whole-genome analysis to investigate historical fisheries and marine ecosystem change. We highlight the growing potential of archaeogenomics to inform restoration, conservation, sustainable fisheries management, and climate adaptation strategies worldwide.