I have asked the same question many times of MANY marine bio and the answer is always the same on either side of the issue the smaller fish will for sure be around alot longer than the larger fish all things being the same so will produce more over the years. The larger fish will put out more eggs but is limited in the number of years left. What I say is all the answers given here are the same I have seen not one study in wrighting but this marine bio said this and this one said that. As I stated in other posts I gave names and deg. of many that feel that the bigger fish is on its way down and again I think they may have a point as they have the deg. NOT me. I too gave the name of a marine bio prof. from UMASS for 30 years that feels that way but he too does not have a paper on it so you say your PHD is right and I will contniue to think mine is right till I see a study with facts and fig. that show them wrong. Two sides to every issue and way to many answers? I do not state this as a way to say I can or will kill a fish over 40# but as you should know the legal limit says you can and many do that is their right that we can not and should not take away from them and if that was the case then we should not fish at all I guess as that would be the answer to it all
