There was a recent article in the Journal Science of interest to everyone, not just anglers, "High Value and Long Life—Double Jeopardy for Tunas and Billfishes."
Their first sentence tells the tale;
There is growing concern that in spite of the healthy status of several epipelagic (living near the surface) fish stocks, some scombrid (tunas, bonitos, mackerels, and Spanish mackerels) and billfish (swordfish and marlins) species are heavily overfished and that there is a lack of resolve to protect against overexploitation driven by high prices.
The main thesis is that those fish stocks that are both high market value, and have long generational times (over 4 to 5 years) are at the greatest risk for extinction from over fishing creating vulnerability, and then an environmental crisis that would finish the species. The following graphic summarized their results:
(SBF=Southern Bluefin Tuna, ABF=Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, PBF=Pacific Bluefin Tuna, BET=Big Eye Tuna, SWO=Swordfish, WHM=White Marlin, BUM=Blue Marlin)
There were two things I particularly appreciated from these data, first that the authors have found a better focused conservation/regulation argument, and second (some what selfishly) my favorite large game fish are not threatened (yet).
(~25lb Yellowtail (Seriola lalandi), The Eclipse, San Diego, Ca. May 2010)
If you've enjoyed this please take a look at the group Hunting and Fishing Kos:
Hunting and Fishing Kos is for anyone who has an interest in hunting, fishing, fieldcraft and, the preservation of these traditions and America's hunting and fishing grounds for future generations. We are a diverse group of individuals who fall to the the left on the political spectrum but represent the entire spectrum of America's outdoors community. All are welcome here.