Juvenile fish grew more quickly and reached their maximum size at a younger age 3 February 2021 • 6:00pm Fishing boats at Tarbert Harbour in the west of Scotland last month Credit: Jeff J Mitchell /Getty Images Europe A piece of battered cod and a generous helping of chips is one of Britain's best-loved meals. But our favourite fish are shrinking due to warmer seas - and it could lead to less of it making its way to our plates. Scientists at the University of Aberdeen examined four key commercial fish species - cod, haddock, whiting and saithe - and found that full-grown fish were reaching smaller sizes in both the North Sea and the West of Scotland.