A protocol used routinely for rapid ancient DNA extraction was applied to fish tissue archived over 80 years ago. The method proved successful, whereas other extraction protocols failed. Researchers working on DNA from older archived fish samples are encouraged to continue to concentrate their efforts on 'white-eye' specimens, which indicate an alcohol-based fixative and are thus likely to yield viable DNA. (C) 2011 The Authors Journal of Fish Biology (C) 2011 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles