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
Subscribe to ReWild Yourself Podcast
Like what you heard? Head over to iTunes now, and leave us a rating and review. Want to talk more about this episode, suggest a guest, or offer feedback? Join the conversation on the Daniel Vitalis Facebook page.
ReWild Yourself Podcast is brought to you by:
RESOURCES FROM THIS SHOW:
- ReWild Yourself Podcast: A History of Water and Humankind - Brian Fagan #158
- Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World 1st Edition by Mark Kurlansky
- ReWild Yourself Podcast: Preserving Cultural Food Heritage - Lori McCarthy #168
- The Mortal Sea: Fishing the Atlantic in the Age of Sail by W. Jeffrey Bolster
- ReWild Yourself Podcast: Culinary Solutions to Eco Problems - Joe Roman #154
- Documentary: Chasing Coral
- Izaak Walton
CONNECT WITH BRIAN:
Meet Brian
Brian Fagan is one of the world’s leading archaeological writers. His books include Fish on Friday, The Little Ice Age, and the best‑selling The Great Warming. Brian was born in England and studied archaeology at Pembroke College, Cambridge. He was Keeper of Prehistory at the Livingstone Museum, Zambia, from 1959-1965. During six years in Zambia and one in East Africa, he was deeply involved in fieldwork on multidisciplinary African history and in monuments conservation. He came to the United States in 1966 and 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 widely respected popular lecturer about the past.