Brian Fagan — one of the world's leading archaeological writers — is back on the show! Brian was born in England and studied archaeology at Pembroke College, Cambridge. He was Keeper of Prehistory at the Livingstone Museum (Zambia) and, during six years in Zambia and one in East Africa, was deeply involved in fieldwork on multidisciplinary African history and in monuments conservation. He was Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, from 1967 to 2004, when he became Emeritus. He is regarded as one of the world's leading archaeological and historical writers and is a widely respected popular lecturer about the past.

In this episode, Brian talks to us about his latest book Fishing: How the Sea Fed Civilization and shares the fascinating insights he uncovered on the history of fishing. In his research, he found that fishing (for sustenance, not sport) rivaled agriculture in its importance to civilization. We discuss the historical timeline of fishing, early fishing equipment and how fishing became a commodity. Brian also shares his thoughts on the future of wild fisheries and the ocean ecosystem. Enjoy!

EPISODE BREAKDOWN:

Show Introduction
Introducing Brian Fagan
Brian's prolific writing career
A history of fishing
Defining fishing - recreational vs subsistence
Establishing our timeline
Early fishing equipment
Fish as a commodity
The loss of large-scale fisheries
Future of wild fisheries
The future of the ocean
Will recreational fishing and hunting be a realistic practice in the future?
Brian's prognosis for the future of the human species