Page "Ichthyology" Paragraph 4

The study of fish receives its origins from human's desire to feed, clothe, and equip themselves with useful implements.

According to Michael Barton, a prominent ichthyologist and professor at Centre College, " the earliest ichthyologists were hunters and gatherers who had learned how to obtain the most useful fish, where to obtain them in abundance, and at what times they might be the most available ".

Early cultures manifested these insights in abstract and identifiable artistic expressions.