Fish growth trajectories are plastic and correlate with a number of environmental factors including food availability , temperature [21, 22] and acidification . Recent reductions in length at age have been noted for many exploited fish species [24–26]. The trend for reduced size is attributed to fisheries induced selection on fish life history traits, importantly on size at maturity, as fishing with common gear, such as trawls, favors individuals that mature at a smaller size [27–29]. Climate change may also result in evolutionary reductions in fish size through physiological adaptations . To facilitate interpretation of ongoing change in fish growth long term historical time series of growth trajectories are needed.