Editing Fishing

{{Short description|Activity of trying to catch fish}}
{{other uses}}
{{Distinguish|Phishing|Pish}}
{{pp-pc}}
{{use British English|date=July 2023}}
{{use dmy dates |date=December 2020}}
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'''Fishing''' is the activity of trying to catch [[fish]]. Fish are often caught as [[wildlife]] from the [[natural environment]] ([[Freshwater ecosystem|freshwater]] or [[Marine ecosystem|marine]]), but may also be caught from [[Fish stocking|stocked]] [[Body of water|bodies of water]] such as [[Fish pond|ponds]], [[canal]]s, [[park]] [[wetland]]s and [[reservoir]]s. [[Fishing techniques]] include [[trawling]], [[Longline fishing|longlining]], [[jigging]], [[Fishing techniques#Hand-gathering|hand-gathering]], [[Spearfishing|spearing]], [[Fishing net|netting]], [[angling]], [[Bowfishing|shooting]] and [[Fish trap|trapping]], as well as [[Destructive fishing practices|more destructive]] and often [[Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing|illegal]] techniques such as [[Electrofishing|electrocution]], [[Blast fishing|blasting]] and [[Cyanide fishing|poisoning]].

The term fishing broadly includes catching [[aquatic animal]]s other than fish, such as [[crustacean]]s ([[shrimp]]/[[lobster]]s/[[crab]]s), [[shellfish]], [[cephalopod]]s ([[octopus]]/[[squid]]) and [[echinoderm]]s ([[starfish]]/[[sea urchin]]s). The term is not normally applied to harvesting fish raised in [[Aquaculture|controlled cultivations]] ([[Fish farming|fish farming]]). Nor is it normally applied to hunting [[aquatic mammal]]s, where terms like [[whaling]] and [[Seal hunting|sealing]] are used instead.

Fishing has been an important part of [[Culture|human culture]] since [[hunter-gatherer]] times. It is one of the few [[Food industry|food production]] activities that has persisted from [[prehistory]] into the [[Contemporary history|modern age]], surviving both the [[Neolithic Revolution]] and [[Technological revolution#History|successive Industrial Revolutions]]. In addition to fishing [[Fish as food|for food]], people commonly fish as a [[Recreational fishing|recreational pastime]]. [[Fishing tournament]]s are held, and caught fish are sometimes kept long-term as [[Taxidermy|preserved]] or [[Fishkeeping|living]] [[Trophy hunting|trophies]]. When [[BioBlitz]]es occur, fish are typically [[Catch and release|caught, identified, and then released]].

According to the [[United Nations]] [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]] statistics, the total number of [[Commercial fishing|commercial fishers]] and [[Fish farming|fish farmers]] is estimated to be 39.0 million.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=FAO |date=2020 |title=The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2020: Sustainability in Action |url=https://doi.org/10.4060/ca9229en |journal=The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture |publisher=FAO |publication-place=Rome |publication-date=2020 |pages=7|doi=10.4060/ca9229en |hdl=10535/3776 |isbn=978-92-5-132692-3 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> [[Fishing industry|Fishing industries]] and [[aquaculture]] provide direct and indirect [[employment]] to over 500 million people in [[Developing country|developing countries]].<ref>[http://www.fao.org/fishery/docs/brochure/climate_change/policy_brief.pdf Fisheries and Aquaculture in our Changing Climate] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023120015/http://www.fao.org/fishery/docs/brochure/climate_change/policy_brief.pdf |date=23 October 2018 }} Policy brief of the [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]] for the [[United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change|UNFCCC]] [[Copenhagen climate summit|COP-15]] in Copenhagen, December 2009.</ref> In 2005, the worldwide ''per capita'' consumption of fish captured from [[wild fisheries]] was {{convert|14.4|kg}}, with an additional {{convert|7.4|kg}} harvested from [[Fish farming|fish farms]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fao.org/fishery/ |title=Fisheries and Aquaculture |publisher=FAO |access-date=1 July 2012 |archive-date=13 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090513075213/http://www.fao.org/fishery |url-status=live }} </ref>

==History==
{{main|History of fishing|History of seafood}}
[[File:Fishing tools stone age SPMZ.jpg|thumb|right|Fishing tools from the [[Mesolithic]] and [[Neolithic]] period]]
Fishing is an ancient practice that dates back to at least the beginning of the Upper [[Paleolithic]] period about 40,000 years ago.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060117013632/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/11/1108_bonetool_2.html African Bone Tools Dispute Key Idea About Human Evolution] National Geographic News article. (archived 17 January 2006)</ref> [[Isotope analysis|Isotopic analysis]] of the remains of [[Tianyuan man]], a 40,000-year-old modern human from eastern Asia, has shown that he regularly consumed freshwater fish.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Yaowu Hu | first1 = Y | last2 = Hong Shang | first2 = H | last3 = Haowen Tong | first3 = H | last4 = Olaf Nehlich | first4 = O | last5 = Wu Liu | first5 = W | last6 = Zhao | first6 = C | last7 = Yu | first7 = J | last8 = Wang | first8 = C | last9 = Trinkaus | first9 = E | last10 = Richards | first10 = M | year = 2009 | title = Stable isotope dietary analysis of the Tianyuan 1 early modern human | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences | volume = 106 | issue = 27 | pages = 10971–74 | doi=10.1073/pnas.0904826106 | pmid = 19581579 | pmc = 2706269| bibcode = 2009PNAS..10610971H | doi-access = free | issn=0027-8424 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.physorg.com/news166120605.html First direct evidence of substantial fish consumption by early modern humans in China] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715083054/http://www.physorg.com/news166120605.html |date=15 July 2011 }} ''[[PhysOrg.com]]'', 6 July 2009.</ref> [[Archaeological|Archaeology]] features such as [[midden|shell middens]],<ref>[http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/arch/middens/index.htm Coastal Shell Middens and Agricultural Origins in Atlantic Europe] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091226160847/http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/arch/middens/index.htm |date=26 December 2009 }}.</ref> discarded fish bones, and [[cave painting]]s show that [[seafood]] was important for survival and consumed in significant quantities. Fishing in Africa is evident very early on in human history. [[Neanderthal]]s were fishing by about 200,000 BC.<ref name="quatr.us">{{cite web|url=https://quatr.us/africa/history-fishing-fishing-nets-shellfish-boats.htm|title=History of fishing – fishing nets, shellfish, boats|website=quatr.us Study Guides|language=en-US|access-date=2 May 2018|date=12 June 2017|archive-date=3 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180503041721/https://quatr.us/africa/history-fishing-fishing-nets-shellfish-boats.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> People could have developed basketry for fish traps, using spinning and early forms of [[knitting]] to make fishing nets<ref name="quatr.us"/> able to catch more fish.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Alfaro Giner |first=Carmen |date=2010 |title=Fishing nets in the ancient world: the historical and archaeological evidence |url=https://www.torrossa.com/en/resources/an/4649252 |journal=Ancient nets and fishing gear: Proceedings of the international workshop on Nets and fishing gear in classical antiquity: A first approach: Cádiz, November 15–17, 2007. - ( Monographs of the Sagena project; 2) |language=en |pages=55–81}}</ref>

During this period, most people lived a [[hunter-gatherer]] lifestyle and were, of necessity, constantly on the move. However, where there are early examples of permanent settlements (though not necessarily permanently occupied) such as those at [[Lepenski Vir]], they are almost always associated with fishing as a major source of food.

===Trawling===
The British [[Dogger (boat)|dogger]] was a very early type of sailing [[Trawler (fishing)|trawler]] from the 17th century, but the modern fishing trawler was developed in the 19th century, at the English fishing port of [[Brixham]]. By the early 19th century, the fishers at Brixham needed to expand their fishing area further than ever before due to the ongoing depletion of stocks that was occurring in the [[overfishing|overfished]] waters of [[South Devon]]. The [[Brixham trawler]] that evolved there was of a sleek build and had a tall [[gaff rig]], which gave the vessel sufficient speed to make long-distance trips out to the fishing grounds in the ocean. They were also sufficiently robust to be able to tow large trawls in deep water. The great trawling fleet that built up at Brixham earned the village the title of 'Mother of Deep-Sea Fisheries'.<ref name="kjappeal">{{cite web|url=http://www.kjappeal.org/history.html |title=History of a Brixham trawler |date=2 March 2009 |publisher=JKappeal.org |access-date=13 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202015738/http://kjappeal.org/history.html |archive-date=2 December 2010 }}</ref>

[[File:A Brixham trawler.jpg|thumb|left|Painting of ''A Brixham trawler'' by [[William Adolphus Knell]]. The painting is now in the [[National Maritime Museum]].]]
This revolutionary design made large-scale trawling in the ocean possible for the first time, resulting in a massive migration of fishers from the ports in the south of England, to villages further north, such as [[Scarborough, North Yorkshire|Scarborough]], [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]], [[Grimsby]], [[Harwich]] and [[Great Yarmouth|Yarmouth]], that were points of access to the large fishing grounds in the [[Atlantic Ocean]].<ref name="kjappeal"/>

The small village of [[Grimsby]] grew to become the largest fishing port in the world<ref>[http://travel.independent.co.uk/uk/article176414.ece Days out: "Gone fishing in Grimsby"]{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ''[[The Independent]]'', 8 September 2002 {{dead link|date=December 2020}}</ref> by the mid 19th century. An [[Act of Parliament]] was first obtained in 1796, which authorised the construction of new quays and dredging of the Haven to make it deeper.<ref name=lochist>{{cite web |url=http://www.localhistories.org/grimsby.html |title=A brief history of Grimsby |date=14 March 2021 |publisher=localhistories.org |access-date=16 July 2014 |archive-date=24 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180424232855/http://www.localhistories.org/grimsby.html |url-status=live }}</ref> It was only in 1846, with the tremendous expansion in the [[fishing industry]], that the [[Grimsby Docks|Grimsby Dock Company]] was formed. The foundation stone for the Royal Dock was laid by [[Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|Albert]] the [[Prince consort]] in 1849. The dock covered {{convert|25|acre|ha}} and was formally opened by [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]] in 1854 as the first modern fishing port.

The elegant [[Brixham trawler]] spread across the world, influencing fishing fleets everywhere.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pilgrim's restoration under full sail|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/news/112001/27/brixham_trawler.shtml|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021117134149/https://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/news/112001/27/brixham_trawler.shtml|archive-date=17 November 2002|access-date=2 March 2009|website=BBC}}</ref> By the end of the 19th century, there were over 3,000 fishing trawlers in commission in Britain, with almost 1,000 at Grimsby. These trawlers were sold to fishers around Europe, including from the [[Netherlands]] and [[Scandinavia]]. Twelve trawlers went on to form the nucleus of the German fishing fleet.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://issuu.com/tobyrussell/docs/brixham_sailing_trawlers|title=Sailing trawlers|date=10 January 2014|publisher=issuu|access-date=16 July 2014|archive-date=26 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140726185531/http://issuu.com/tobyrussell/docs/brixham_sailing_trawlers|url-status=live}}</ref>

The earliest steam-powered fishing boats first appeared in the 1870s and used the [[trawl]] system of fishing as well as lines and drift nets. These were large boats, usually {{convert|80|-|90|ft}} in length with a beam of around {{convert|20|ft|0}}. They weighed 40–50 tons and travelled at {{convert|9|-|11|kn}}. David Allen designed and made the earliest purpose-built fishing vessels in [[Leith]], Scotland in March 1875, when he converted a drifter to steam power. In 1877, he built the first [[screw propeller|screw propelled]] [[steamship|steam trawler]] in the world.<ref name="grantontrawlers">{{Cite web|url=http://grantontrawlers.com/steam%20trawler.html|title=The Steam Trawler|access-date=16 July 2014|archive-date=27 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727215048/http://grantontrawlers.com/steam%20trawler.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Steam trawlers were introduced at [[Grimsby]] and [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]] in the 1880s. In 1890 it was estimated that there were 20,000 men on the North Sea. The steam drifter was not used in the herring fishery until 1897. The last sailing fishing trawler was built in 1925 in Grimsby. Trawler designs adapted as the way they were powered changed from sail to coal-fired steam by [[World War I]] to [[Diesel engine|diesel]] and [[turbines]] by the end of [[World War II]].

In 1931, the first powered drum was created by Laurie Jarelainen. The drum was a circular device that was set to the side of the boat and would draw in the nets. Since [[World War II]], [[radio navigation aid]]s and [[Fishfinder|fish finders]] have been widely used. The first trawlers fished over the side, rather than over the [[stern]]. The first purpose-built stern trawler was ''Fairtry'' built in 1953 at [[Aberdeen]], Scotland. The ship was much larger than any other trawlers then in operation and inaugurated the era of the 'super trawler'. As the ship pulled its nets over the stern, it could lift out a much greater haul of up to 60 tons.<ref name="hulltrawler">{{cite web|title=HISTORY|url=http://www.hulltrawler.net/Stern/additions/History.htm|url-status=usurped|access-date=16 July 2014|archive-date=21 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130821172332/http://www.hulltrawler.net/Stern/additions/History.htm}}</ref> The ship served as a basis for the expansion of 'super trawlers' around the world in the following decades.<ref name="hulltrawler"/>

===Recreational fishing===
{{main|Recreational fishing}}
[[File:Louis John Rhead - Izaak Wolton and his scholar.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Izaak Walton]]'s ''[[The Compleat Angler|Compleat Angler]]'', published in 1653 helped popularise fly fishing as a sport.<br />Woodcut by [[Louis Rhead]]]]
The early evolution of fishing as recreation is not clear. For example, there is anecdotal evidence for [[fly fishing]] in Japan. However, fly fishing was likely to have been a means of survival, rather than recreation. The earliest English essay on recreational fishing was published in 1496, by [[Juliana Berners|Dame Juliana Berners]], the prioress of the Benedictine [[Sopwell Priory|Sopwell Nunnery]]. The essay was titled ''Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle'',<ref>Berners, Dame Juliana (1496) [http://www.luminarium.org/renascence-editions/berners/berners.html ''A treatyse of fysshynge wyth an Angle''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629102803/https://www.luminarium.org/renascence-editions/berners/berners.html |date=29 June 2023 }} (transcription by Risa S. Bear).</ref> and included detailed information on fishing waters, the construction of [[fishing rod|rods]] and lines, and the use of natural baits and artificial flies.<ref>Berners, Dame Juliana. (2008). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 20 June 2008, from [https://web.archive.org/web/20131016013753/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1419859/Dame-Juliana-Berners Encyclopædia Britannica Online]</ref>

Recreational fishing took a great leap forward after the [[English Civil War]], where a newly found interest in the activity left its mark on the many books and treatises that were written on the subject at the time. [[Leonard Mascall]] in 1589 wrote ''A booke of Fishing with Hooke and Line'' along with many others he produced in his life on game and wildlife in England at the time. ''[[The Compleat Angler]]'' was written by [[Izaak Walton]] in 1653 (although Walton continued to add to it for a quarter of a century) and described the fishing in the [[Derbyshire]] [[River Wye, Derbyshire|Wye]]. It was a celebration of the art and spirit of fishing in prose and verse. A second part to the book was added by Walton's friend [[Charles Cotton]].<ref name="Herdfly">{{cite web|url=https://fishingmind.com/fly-fishing-techniques-in-the-fifteenth-century/|title=Fly fishing techniques in the fifteenth century|author=Andrew N. Herd|access-date=22 October 2021|archive-date=22 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022224519/https://fishingmind.com/fly-fishing-techniques-in-the-fifteenth-century/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Charles Kirby designed an improved fishing hook in 1655 that remains relatively unchanged to this day. He went on to invent the Kirby bend, a distinctive hook with an offset point, still commonly used today.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8d6yECc8kpsC|title=The Science of Fly-fishing|author=Stan L. Ulanski|year=2003|publisher=University of Virginia Press|page=4|isbn=978-0-8139-2210-2}}</ref>

[[File:Ustonson advert.jpg|thumb|left|Trading card of the Ustonson company, an early firm specialising in fishing equipment, and holder of a [[Royal warrant of appointment (United Kingdom)|royal warrant]] from the 1760s.]]
The 18th century was mainly an era of consolidation of the techniques developed in the previous century. Running rings began to appear along the fishing rods, which gave anglers greater control over the cast line. The rods themselves were also becoming increasingly sophisticated and specialised for different roles. Jointed rods became common from the middle of the century and [[bamboo]] came to be used for the top section of the rod, giving it much greater strength and flexibility.

The industry also became commercialised – rods and tackle were sold at the [[haberdashers]] store. After the [[Great Fire of London]] in 1666, artisans moved to [[Redditch]] which became a centre of production of fishing-related products from the 1730s. Onesimus Ustonson established his shop in 1761, and his establishment remained a market leader for the next century. He received a [[Royal warrant of appointment (United Kingdom)|royal warrant]] from three successive monarchs starting with King [[George IV]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greatflyfishingtips.com/welcome-to-great-fly-fishing-tips/|title=Welcome To Great Fly Fishing Tips|date=December 2011|access-date=16 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170627040414/http://www.greatflyfishingtips.com/welcome-to-great-fly-fishing-tips/|archive-date=27 June 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> He also invented the [[fishing reel|multiplying winch]]. The commercialization of the industry came at a time of expanded interest in fishing as a recreational hobby for members of the [[aristocracy]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Fishing Tackle Chapter 3|url=http://www.calmproductions.com/acatalog/GT_Fishing%20Tackle_Chp3.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130918103205/http://www.calmproductions.com/acatalog/GT_Fishing%20Tackle_Chp3.pdf|archive-date=18 September 2013|access-date=16 July 2014|website=CLAM PRODUCTIONS}}</ref>

The impact of the [[Industrial Revolution]] was first felt in the manufacture of fly lines. Instead of anglers twisting their lines – a laborious and time-consuming process – the new textile spinning machines allowed for a variety of tapered lines to be easily manufactured and marketed.

British fly fishing continued to develop in the 19th century, with the emergence of fly fishing clubs, along with the appearance of several books on the subject of fly tying and fly fishing techniques.

By the mid to late 19th century, expanding [[leisure]] opportunities for the middle and lower classes began to have an effect on fly fishing, which steadily grew in mass appeal. The expansion of the railway network in Britain allowed the less affluent for the first time to take weekend trips to the seaside or rivers for fishing. Richer [[hobby]]ists ventured further abroad.<ref name="Herdy1800-1850">{{cite web|url=http://www.flyfishinghistory.com/18001850.htm#|title=Fly Fishing in the Years 1800–1850|author=Andrew N. Herd|access-date=16 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140703003401/http://www.flyfishinghistory.com/18001850.htm|archive-date=3 July 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> The large rivers of [[Norway]] replete with large stocks of [[salmon]] began to attract fishers from England in large numbers in the middle of the century – ''Jones's guide to Norway, and salmon-fisher's pocket companion'', published in 1848, was written by Frederic Tolfrey and was a popular guide to the country.<ref name="Herdy1800-1850"/>

[[File:Nottingham reel.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.05|'Nottingham' and 'Scarborough' reel designs.]]
Modern reel design had begun in England during the latter part of the 18th century, and the predominant model in use was known as the '[[Nottingham]] reel'. The reel was a wide drum that spooled out freely and was ideal for allowing the bait to drift a long way out with the current. Geared multiplying reels never successfully caught on in Britain, but had more success in the United States, where [[George Snyder (fly reels)|George Snyder]] of [[Kentucky]] modified similar models into his bait-casting reel, the first American-made design in 1810.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flyfishinghistory.com/tech18th.htm|title=Fly Fishing in the Eighteenth Century|author=Andrew N. Herd|access-date=16 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140719031319/http://www.flyfishinghistory.com/tech18th.htm|archive-date=19 July 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The material used for the rod itself changed from the heavy woods native to England to lighter and more elastic varieties imported from abroad, especially from South America and the [[West Indies]]. [[Bamboo]] rods became the generally favoured option from the mid-19th century, and several strips of the material were cut from the cane, milled into shape, and then glued together to form the light, strong, hexagonal rods with a solid core that were superior to anything that preceded them. [[George Cotton]] and his predecessors fished their flies with long rods, and light lines allowing the wind to do most of the work of getting the fly to the fish.<ref name="Brit">{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/208708/fishing/2330/Early-history#ref70275|title=fishing|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Britannica|date=July 2023|access-date=21 June 2022|archive-date=4 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504214050/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/208708/fishing/2330/Early-history#ref70275|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Trout fishing 1860s.jpg|thumb|left|Fishing became a popular recreational activity in the 19th century. Print from [[Currier and Ives]].]]
Tackle design began to improve in the 1880s. The introduction of new woods to the manufacture of fly rods made it possible to cast flies into the wind on silk lines, instead of [[horse hair]]. These lines allowed for a much greater casting distance. However, these early fly lines proved troublesome as they had to be coated with various dressings to make them float and needed to be taken off the reel and dried every four hours or so to prevent them from becoming waterlogged. Another negative consequence was that it became easy for the much longer line to get into a tangle – this was called a 'tangle' in Britain, and a 'backlash' in the US. This problem spurred the invention of the regulator to evenly spool the line out and prevent tangling.<ref name="Brit"/>

The American, Charles F. Orvis, designed and distributed a novel reel and fly design in 1874, described by reel historian Jim Brown as the "benchmark of American reel design," and the first fully modern fly reel.<ref name="brown_reel_treasury">Brown, Jim. ''A Treasury of Reels: The Fishing Reel Collection of The American Museum of Fly Fishing.'' Manchester, Vermont: The American Museum of Fly Fishing, 1990.</ref><ref name="schullery_orvis_story">Schullery, Paul. ''The Orvis Story: 150 Years of an American Sporting Tradition.'' Manchester, Vermont, The Orvis Company, Inc., 2006</ref>

[[Albert Illingworth, 1st Baron Illingworth]] a textiles magnate, patented the modern form of fixed-spool spinning reel in 1905. When casting Illingworth's reel design, the line was drawn off the leading edge of the spool but was restrained and rewound by a line pickup, a device which orbits around the stationary spool. Because the line did not have to pull against a rotating spool, much lighter lures could be cast than with conventional reels.<ref name="Brit"/>

The development of inexpensive [[fiberglass]] rods, synthetic fly lines, and monofilament leaders in the early 1950s revived the popularity of fly fishing.
[[File:Man fishing on the beach - kanagawa - 2023 12 16.webm|thumb|A man casting a lure and spinning the reel in [[Kanagawa prefecture|Kanagawa]], [[Japan]].]]

==Techniques==
[[File:Đó.jpg|thumb|left|Fishermen with traditional fish traps, Vietnam]]
{{main|Fishing techniques}}

There are many fishing techniques and tactics for catching fish. The term can also be applied to methods for catching other [[aquatic animal]]s such as [[molluscs]] ([[shellfish]], [[squid]], octopus) and edible marine [[invertebrate]]s.

Fishing techniques include [[Gathering seafood by hand|hand gathering]], [[spearfishing]], [[fish net|netting]], [[angling]], [[bowfishing]] and [[fish trap|trapping]], as well as less common techniques such as [[fishing gaff|gaff]]ing, [[snagging]], [[club (weapon)|club]]bing and the use of specially trained animals such as [[cormorant fishing|cormorant]]s and [[otter fishing|otter]]s. There are also [[destructive fishing practice|destructive fishing technique]]s (such as [[electrofishing|electrocution]], [[blast fishing|blasting]] and [[cyanide fishing|poisoning]]) that can do irreversible damage to the local [[ecosystem]]s by killing/[[sterilization (medicine)|sterilizing]] entire [[fish stocks]], [[habitat destruction]] and/or upsetting the equilibrium of [[interspecific competition]]s, and such practices are often deemed [[illegal fishing|illegal]] and liable to [[criminal punishment]]s.

[[Recreational fishing|Recreational]], [[commercial fishing|commercial]] and [[artisan fishing|artisanal]] fishers use different techniques, and also, sometimes, the same techniques. Recreational fishers fish for pleasure, sport, or to provide food for themselves, while commercial fishers fish for profit. Artisanal fishers use traditional, low-tech methods, for survival in third-world countries, and as a cultural heritage in other countries. Usually, recreational fishers use angling methods and commercial fishers use netting methods. A modern development is to fish with the assistance of a [[unmanned aerial vehicle|drone]].<ref>[https://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/75111335/fishing-with-a-drone Fishing with a drone] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211112115841/https://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/75111335/fishing-with-a-drone |date=12 November 2021 }} ''Stuff'', 15 December 2015.</ref>

Why a fish bites a baited hook or lure involves several factors related to the sensory physiology, behaviour, feeding ecology, and biology of the fish as well as the environment and characteristics of the bait/hook/lure.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Lennox|first1=Robert J|last2=Alós|first2=Josep|last3=Arlinghaus|first3=Robert|last4=Horodysky|first4=Andrij|last5=Klefoth|first5=Thomas|last6=Monk|first6=Christopher T|last7=Cooke|first7=Steven J|title=What makes fish vulnerable to capture by hooks? A conceptual framework and a review of key determinants|journal=Fish and Fisheries|volume=18|issue=5|language=en|pages=986–1010|doi=10.1111/faf.12219|issn=1467-2979|year=2017|bibcode=2017AqFF...18..986L }}</ref> There is an intricate link between various fishing techniques and knowledge about the fish and their behaviour including [[Fish migration|migration]], [[Forage fish|foraging]] and [[Oceanic habitats|habitat]]. The effective use of fishing techniques often depends on this additional knowledge.<ref>Keegan, William F (1986) [https://web.archive.org/web/20080703210618/http://www.arqueologiamendoza.com/wikisrc/images/b/b5/The_Optimal_Foraging_Analysis_of_Horticultural_Production.pdf New Series, Volume. 88, No. 1., pp. 92–107.]</ref> Some fishers follow [[Solunar theory|fishing folklores]] which claim that fish feeding patterns are influenced by the position of the sun and the moon.

== Tackle ==
[[File:angler at devizes england arp.jpg|alt=Man seated at the side of the water surrounded by fishing rods and tackle.|thumb|An [[Angling|angler]] on the [[Kennet and Avon Canal]], England, with his tackle]]
{{main|Fishing tackle}}
Fishing tackles are the equipment used by [[fisherman|fishers]] when fishing. Almost any equipment or gear used for fishing can be called a fishing tackle, although the term is most commonly associated with gear used in [[angling]]. Some examples are [[fishing hook|hooks]], [[fishing line|lines]], [[fishing sinker|sinkers]], [[fishing float|floats]], [[fishing rod|rods]], [[fishing reel|reels]], [[fishing bait|baits]], [[fishing lure|lures]], [[spearfishing|spears]], [[fishing net|nets]], [[fishing gaff|gaffs]], [[fishing trap|traps]], [[waders (footwear)|waders]], and tackle boxes. [[Fishing techniques]] refer to the ways the tackles are used when fishing.

Tackles that are attached to the end of a fishing line are collectively called '''terminal tackles'''. These include hooks, sinkers, floats, leader lines, [[fishing swivel|swivels]], split rings, and any wires, snaps, beads, spoons, blades, spinners and clevises used to attach spinner blades to fishing lures. People also tend to use dead or live [[bait fish]] as another form of [[fishing bait|bait]].
{{clear}}

==Fishing vessels==
[[File:Krabbenkutter Ivonne Pellworm P5242390jm.JPG|thumb|left|Commercial crab boat working in the [[Fishing in the North Sea|North Sea]]]]
[[File:Small sport fishing boat.jpg|thumb|right|Small [[sport fishing boat]]]]
{{see also|Fishing vessels|Traditional fishing boats}}

A fishing vessel is a boat or ship used to catch fish in the sea, or on a lake or river. Many different kinds of vessels are used in [[Commercial fishing|commercial]], [[Artisan fishing|artisanal]], and [[recreational fishing]].

According to the [[FAO]], in 2004 there were four million commercial fishing vessels.<ref name="FAO 2007">FAO 2007</ref> About 1.3 million of these are decked vessels with enclosed areas. Nearly all of these decked vessels are mechanised, and 40,000 of them are over 100 tons. At the other extreme, two-thirds (1.8 million) of the [[Deck (ship)|undecked]] boats are traditional craft of various types, powered only by sail and oars.<ref name="FAO 2007"/> These boats are used by [[artisan fishers]].

It is difficult to estimate how many [[Recreational boat fishing|recreational fishing boats]] there are, although the number is high. The term is fluid since some recreational boats may also be used for fishing from time to time. Unlike most commercial fishing vessels, recreational fishing boats are often not dedicated just to fishing. Just about anything that will stay afloat can be called a recreational fishing boat, so long as a [[Fisherman|fisher]] periodically climbs aboard with the intent to catch a fish. Fish are caught for recreational purposes from boats which range from [[dugout canoe]]s, [[float tube]]s, [[kayaks]], [[raft]]s, stand up paddleboards, [[pontoon boat]]s and small [[Dinghy|dinghies]] to [[Runabout (boat)|runabouts]], [[cabin cruiser]]s and cruising yachts to large, hi-tech and luxurious [[Big-game fishing|big game]] rigs.<ref>[[NOAA]]: [http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/speciesid/fish_page/fish51a.html Sport fishing boat] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506051732/http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/speciesid/fish_page/fish51a.html |date=6 May 2017 }}</ref> Larger boats, purpose-built with recreational fishing in mind, usually have large, open [[Cockpit (sailing)|cockpits]] at the [[stern]], designed for convenient fishing.
{{clear}}

==Traditional fishing==
{{main|Artisanal fishing}}
[[File:Des jeunes pêcheurs dans la ville de San-Pédro.jpg|alt=Traditional fishing|thumb|Traditional fishing]]
Traditional fishing is any kind of small scale, [[commercial fishing|commercial]] or [[subsistence economy|subsistence]] fishing practices using traditional techniques such as [[Fishing rod|rod]] and [[Fishing tackle|tackle]], [[arrow]]s and [[harpoon]]s, [[throw net]]s and drag nets, etc.

==Recreational fishing==
{{main|Recreational fishing}}
[[File:An evening fishing - by Francis Hannaway.jpg|thumb|left|{{center|[[Angling]]}}]]
[[File:Vanda å Nukariforsen.jpg|thumb|A fisherman on the rapids in [[Nukari]], [[Nurmijärvi]], [[Finland]]]]
[[Recreation]]al and sport fishing refer to fishing primarily for [[pleasure]] or competition. Recreational fishing has conventions, rules, licensing restrictions and laws that limit how fish may be caught; typically, these prohibit the use of nets and the catching of fish with hooks not in the mouth. The most common form of recreational fishing is done with a [[fishing rod|rod]], [[fishing reel|reel]], [[fishing line|line]], [[Fish hook|hooks]] and any one of a wide range of [[Bait (luring substance)|baits]] or [[Fishing lure|lures]] such as [[Artificial fly|artificial flies]]. The practice of catching or attempting to catch fish with a hook is generally known as [[angling]]. In angling, it is sometimes expected or required that fish be returned to the water ([[catch and release]]). Recreational or sport fishermen may log their catches or participate in fishing competitions.

The estimated global number of recreational fishers varies from 220 million to a maximum number of 700 million fishers globally,<ref>{{cite web |last1=FAO |title=The role of Recreational Fisheries in the sustainable management of marine resources {{!}} GLOBEFISH {{!}} Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |url=http://www.fao.org/in-action/globefish/fishery-information/resource-detail/en/c/1013313/#:~:text=Recreational%20fishing%20(RF)%20is%20defined,a%20competitive%20sphere%20among%20commercial |website=www.fao.org |publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |access-date=2 February 2021 |archive-date=24 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124125718/http://www.fao.org/in-action/globefish/fishery-information/resource-detail/en/c/1013313/#:~:text=Recreational%20fishing%20(RF)%20is%20defined,a%20competitive%20sphere%20among%20commercial |url-status=live }}</ref> which is thought to be double the number of individuals working as commercial fishers. In the United States alone it was estimated that 50.1 million people engaged in fishing activities in both [[saltwater]] and [[freshwater]] environments.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lange |first1=David |title=Topic: Recreational Fishing in the U.S. |url=https://www.statista.com/topics/1163/recreational-fishing/ |website=Statista |language=en |access-date=2 February 2021 |archive-date=9 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209025952/https://www.statista.com/topics/1163/recreational-fishing/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Big-game fishing]] is fishing from boats to catch large open-water species such as [[swordfish]], [[tuna]], [[shark]]s, and [[marlin]]. Sportfishing (sometimes game fishing) is recreational fishing where the primary reward is the challenge of finding and catching the fish rather than the [[culinary]] or financial value of the fish's flesh. Fish sought after include [[tarpon]], [[sailfish]], [[mackerel]], [[grouper]] and many others.
{{clear}}

==Fishing industry==
{{Main|Fishing industry}}

<gallery widths="300px">
Contribution of fish to animal protein supply, average 2013-2015.svg|Contribution of fish to animal protein supply, average 2013–2015
File:World capture fisheries and aquaculture production.svg|World capture fisheries and aquaculture production 1950 - 2015
File:Employment_In_Agriculture,_Forestry_And_Fishing_By_Region.svg|A comparison of employment In agriculture, forestry and fishing by region

</gallery>

[[File:Albatun Dod.jpg|thumb|right|Modern Spanish [[tuna]] [[purse seiner]] in the [[Seychelles Islands]]]]

The fishing industry includes any industry or activity concerned with taking, culturing, processing, preserving, storing, transporting, marketing or selling fish or fish products. It is defined by the [[FAO]] as including [[recreational fishing|recreational]], [[Artisan fishing|subsistence]] and [[commercial fishing]], and the harvesting, [[Fish processing|processing]], and [[Fish marketing|marketing]] sectors.<ref>FAO Fisheries Section: Glossary: [http://www.fao.org/fi/glossary/default.asp ''Fishing industry.''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070708081658/http://www.fao.org/fi/glossary/default.asp |date=8 July 2007 }} Retrieved 28 May 2008.</ref> The commercial activity is aimed at the delivery of fish and other [[seafood products]] for human consumption or use as [[raw material]] in other industrial processes. In 2022 24% of fishers and fish farmers and 62% of workers in post-harvest sector were women.<ref name="cd0683en">{{Cite book |url=https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cd0683en |title=The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024 |date=2024-06-07 |publisher=FAO |isbn=978-92-5-138763-4 |language=en |doi=10.4060/cd0683en}}</ref>

There are three principal industry sectors:{{NoteTag|The wording of the following definitions of the fishing industry are based on those used by the Australian government.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.frdc.com.au/industry/ |title=Today's Fishing Industry |date=10 December 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090614105342/http://frdc.com.au/industry/ |archive-date = 14 June 2009 |publisher=[[Fisheries Research and Development Corporation]] |access-date=26 July 2012}}</ref>}}
* The [[Fishing industry#Commercial sector|commercial sector]] comprises enterprises and individuals associated with wild-catch or aquaculture resources and the various transformations of those resources into products for sale.
* The [[Fishing industry#Traditional sector|traditional sector]] comprises enterprises and individuals associated with fisheries resources from which aboriginal people derive products following their traditions.
* The [[Fishing industry#Recreational sector|recreational sector]] comprises enterprises and individuals associated with the purpose of recreation, sport or sustenance with fisheries resources from which products are derived that are not for sale.

===Commercial fishing===
{{main|Commercial fishing}}
[[File:French Fishing Vessel 'Alf' in the Irish Sea MOD 45155246.jpg|thumb|{{center|Fishing boat in heavy sea}}]]
[[File:Push-up fälla - Ystad-2021.jpg|thumb| Push-up trap developed by [[Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences]] for more accurate and less harmful fishing]]
Commercial fishing is the capture of fish for commercial purposes. Those who practice it must often pursue fish far from the land under adverse conditions. Commercial fishermen harvest a wide range of aquatic species, from [[tuna]], [[cod]] and [[salmon]] to [[shrimp]], [[krill]], [[lobster]], [[clam]]s, [[squid]] and [[crab]], in various [[fishery|fisheries]] for these species. Commercial fishing methods have become very efficient using large nets and sea-going processing factories. [[Individual fishing quota]]s and international treaties seek to control the species and quantities caught.

A commercial fishing enterprise may vary from one person with a small boat with hand-casting nets or a few pot traps, to a huge fleet of [[Fishing trawler|trawlers]] processing tons of fish every day.

Commercial fishing gear includes weights, [[Fishing net|nets]] (e.g. purse [[Seine fishing|seine]]), seine nets (e.g. beach seine), [[trawl]]s (e.g. [[Bottom trawling|bottom trawl]]), dredges, [[Fish hook|hooks]] and line (e.g. [[Long-line fishing|long line]] and [[Hand-line fishing|handline]]), lift nets, [[gillnet]]s, entangling nets and [[Fishing trap|traps]].

According to the [[Food and Agriculture Organization]] of the United Nations, the total world [[Wild fisheries|capture fisheries]] production in 2000 was 86 million tons (FAO 2002). The top producing countries were, in order, the People's Republic of China (excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan), Peru, Japan, the United States, Chile, Indonesia, Russia, India, Thailand, Norway, and Iceland. Those countries accounted for more than half of the world's production; China alone accounted for a third of the world's production. Of that production, over 90% was marine and less than 10% was inland.

A small number of species support the majority of the world's fisheries. Some of these species are [[herring]], [[cod]], [[sardine]],  [[anchovy]], [[tuna]], [[flounder]], [[Mullet (fish)|mullet]], [[squid]], [[shrimp]], [[salmon]], crab, [[lobster]], [[oyster]] and [[scallop]]s. All except these last four provided a worldwide catch of well over a [[million]] [[tonne]]s in 1999, with [[herring]] and [[sardine]]s together providing a catch of over 22 million metric tons in 1999. Many other species as well are fished in smaller numbers.

===Fish farms===
{{main|Fish farm}}
Fish farming is the principal form of [[aquaculture]], while other methods may fall under [[mariculture]]. It involves raising fish commercially in tanks or enclosures, usually for food. A facility that releases [[juvenile fish]] into the wild for recreational fishing or to supplement a species' natural population is generally referred to as a [[fish hatchery]]. Fish species raised by fish farms include [[Aquaculture of salmon|salmon]], [[carp]], [[Aquaculture of tilapia|tilapia]], [[Aquaculture of catfish|catfish]], [[white seabass]] and [[trout]].

Increased demands on [[wild fisheries]] by [[commercial fishing]] has caused widespread [[overfishing]]. Fish farming offers an alternative solution to the increasing market demand for fish.

[[File:Derkovits, Gyula - Still-life with Fish I (1928).jpg|thumb|right|[[Gyula Derkovits]], ''still-life with fish'' (1928)]]

===Fish products===
{{see also|Fish processing|Fish products|Fish (food)|Seafood}}
Fish and fish products are [[Fish as food|consumed as food]] all over the world. With other [[seafood]]s, it provides the world's prime source of high-quality [[protein]]: 14–16 percent of the animal protein consumed worldwide. Over one billion people rely on fish as their primary source of animal protein.<ref>Tidwell, James H. and Allan, Geoff L.</ref>

Fish and other aquatic organisms are also processed into various food and non-food products, such as sharkskin leather, pigments made from the inky secretions of [[cuttlefish]], [[isinglass]] used for the [[clarification (wine)|clarification]] of wine and beer, [[fish emulsion]] used as a [[fertiliser]], [[Animal glue|fish glue]], [[fish oil]] and [[fish meal]].

Fish are also collected live for research and the [[aquarium trade]].

===Fish marketing===
{{see also|Fish market|Fish marketing}}
{{clear}}

==Fisheries management==
[[File:Fishing down the food web.jpg|thumb|right|{{center|[[Fishing down the food web]]}}]]
{{main|Fisheries management|Fisheries science}}

Fisheries management draws on [[fisheries science]] to find ways to protect [[fishery]] resources so sustainable exploitation is possible. Modern fisheries management is often referred to as a governmental system of management rules based on defined objectives and a mix of management means to implement the rules, which are put in place by a system of [[monitoring control and surveillance]].

[[Fisheries science]] is the academic discipline of managing and understanding fisheries. It is a multidisciplinary science, which draws on the disciplines of [[oceanography]], [[marine biology]], [[marine conservation]], [[ecology]], [[Population dynamics of fisheries|population dynamics]], [[economics]] and management in an attempt to provide an integrated picture of fisheries. In some cases new disciplines have emerged, such as [[bioeconomics (biology)|bioeconomics]].

===Sustainability===
{{main|Sustainable fishing}}
Stocks fished within biologically sustainable levels decreased from 90% in 1974 to 62.3% in 2021.<ref name="cd0683en"/> Issues involved in the long term sustainability of fishing include [[overfishing]], [[by-catch]], [[marine pollution]], [[environmental effects of fishing]], [[Ghost net|ghost fishing]], [[Fisheries and climate change|climate change]], [[fisheries-induced evolution]] and [[fish farming]].

Conservation issues are part of [[marine conservation]], and are addressed in [[fisheries science]] programs. There is a growing gap between how many fish are available to be caught and humanity's desire to catch them, a problem that gets worse as the [[world population]] grows.

Similar to other [[environmental issues]], there can be conflict between the fishermen who depend on fishing for their livelihoods and [[Fisheries scientists|fishery scientists]] who realise that if future fish populations are to be [[Sustainable fishing|sustainable]] then some fisheries must limit fishing or cease operations.
{{clear}}

==Animal welfare concerns==
{{Further|Animal welfare|Pain in fish}}

Historically, some doubted that fish could experience pain. Laboratory experiments have shown that fish do react to painful stimuli (e.g., injections of [[bee venom]]) in a similar way to mammals.<ref>{{Cite journal
| last = Sneddon
| first = LU
| title = Pain perception in fish: indicators and endpoints.
| journal = ILAR Journal
| volume = 50
| issue = 4
| pages = 38–42
| pmid = 19949250
| year = 2009
| doi = 10.1093/ilar.50.4.338
| doi-access = 
| url = http://animalstudiesrepository.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1010&context=acwp_aff
| access-date = 20 February 2024
| archive-date = 20 June 2020
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200620233217/https://animalstudiesrepository.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1010&context=acwp_aff
| url-status = live
| url-access = subscription
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal
| last1 = Oidtmann
| first1 = B
| last2 = Hoffman
| first2 = RW
| title = Pain and suffering in fish
| journal = Berliner und Münchener Tierärztliche Wochenschrift
| volume = 114
| issue = 7–8
| pages = 277–282
| date = Jul–Aug 2001
| pmid = 11505801
}}</ref> This is controversial and has been disputed.{{Explain|reason=|date=November 2019}}<ref>{{cite journal
| title = Do fish feel pain? Not as humans do, study suggests
| journal = ScienceDaily
| date = 8 August 2013
| url = https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130808123719.htm
| access-date = 2 August 2017
| archive-date = 8 November 2017
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171108195330/https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/08/130808123719.htm
| url-status = live
}}</ref> The expansion of [[aquaculture|fish farming]] as well as animal welfare concerns in society has led to research into more humane and faster ways of killing fish.<ref>{{Cite journal
| last1 = Lund
| first1 = V
| last2 = Mejdell
| first2 = CM
| last3 = Röcklinsberg
| first3 = H
| last4 = Anthony
| first4 = R
| last5 = Håstein
| first5 = T
| title = Expanding the moral circle: farmed fish as objects of moral concern.
| journal = Diseases of Aquatic Organisms
| volume = 75
| issue = 2
| pages = 109–118
| date = 4 May 2007
| pmid = 17578250
| doi=10.3354/dao075109| doi-access = free
}}</ref>

In large-scale operations like fish farms, stunning fish with electricity or putting them into water saturated with [[nitrogen]] so that they cannot breathe, results in death more rapidly than just taking them out of the water. For [[sport fishing]], it is recommended that fish be killed soon after catching them by hitting them on the head followed by [[exsanguination|bleeding out]] or by stabbing the brain with a sharp object<ref>{{Cite journal
| last1 = Davie
| first1 = PS
| last2 = Kopf
| first2 = RK
| title = Physiology, behaviour and welfare of fish during recreational fishing and after release.
| journal = New Zealand Veterinary Journal
| volume = 54
| issue = 4
| pages = 161–172
| date = August 2006
| pmid = 16915337
| doi=10.1080/00480169.2006.36690| s2cid = 1636511
}}</ref> (called [[pithing]] or ''[[ike jime]]'' in Japanese). Some believe it is not cruel if you release the catch back to where it was caught however a study in 2018 states that the hook damages an important part of the feeding mechanism by which the fish sucks in food, ignoring the issue of pain.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/fishing-anglers-fish-hurt-injuries-catch-and-release-feeding-a8575816.html|title=Anglers' catch-and-release method stops fish feeding properly, study finds|date=9 October 2018|work=The Independent|access-date=10 October 2018|language=en-GB|archive-date=9 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009211923/https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/fishing-anglers-fish-hurt-injuries-catch-and-release-feeding-a8575816.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

When fishing there are high chances of catching other marine wildlife in a fishing net. There are over 100 different fishing regulations on paper for reducing this [[bycatch]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Facts {{!}} Seaspiracy Website |url=https://www.seaspiracy.org/facts |access-date=2022-03-12 |website=SEASPIRACY |language=en |archive-date=16 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416001614/https://www.seaspiracy.org/facts |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Plastic pollution ==
[[File:Plastic Waste 0089.jpg|thumb|Plastic pollution]]

Abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear includes netting, mono/multifilament lines, hooks, ropes, floats, buoys, sinkers, anchors, metallic materials and fish aggregating devices (FADs) made of non-biodegradable materials such as [[concrete]], [[metal]] and [[polymer]]s. It has been estimated that global fishing gear losses each year include 5.7% of all fishing nets, 8.6% of all traps and 29% of all lines used. Abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) can have serious impacts on marine organisms through entanglement and ingestion.<ref name="UNEP">{{Cite web |date=2021-10-21 |title=Drowning in Plastics – Marine Litter and Plastic Waste Vital Graphics |url=http://www.unep.org/resources/report/drowning-plastics-marine-litter-and-plastic-waste-vital-graphics |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=UNEP - UN Environment Programme |language=en |archive-date=21 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220321122658/https://www.unep.org/resources/report/drowning-plastics-marine-litter-and-plastic-waste-vital-graphics |url-status=live }}</ref> The potential for fishing gear to become ALDFG depends on a number of factors including: 

* Environmental factors are mostly related to seafloor topography and obstructions, although tides, currents, waves, winds, and interaction with wildlife are also important.
* Operational losses and operator errors can occur even during normal fishing operations.
* Problems such as inadequate fisheries management and regulations that do not include adequate controls can hamper collection of ALDFG (e.g. there may be poor access to collection facilities).
* Gear loss resulting from conflicts primarily occurs (intentionally or unintentionally) in areas with high concentrations of fishing activities, leading to gear being towed away, fouled, sabotaged or vandalized. Passive and unattended gear such as pots, set gillnets and traps are particularly prone to conflict damage. In the Arctic, conflicts are the most common reason for lost gear.<ref name="UNEP" />

==Cultural impact==
[[File:ona1.jpg|thumb|right|[[Ona, Sandøy|Ona]], a traditional fishing village in Norway]]
[[File:Fishing Woman.jpg|thumb|Woman with traditional fish catching device made from bamboo in Assam]]

===Community===

For communities like [[fishing village]]s, fisheries provide not only a source of food and work but also a community and cultural identity.<ref>{{cite web|title=International Collective in Support of Fishworkers|url=http://www.icsf.net/|date=2 March 2012|publisher=ICSF|access-date=1 July 2012|archive-date=14 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514194635/http://www.icsf.net/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Economic===

Some locations may be regarded as fishing destinations, which anglers visit on vacation or for competitions. The economic impact of fishing by visitors may be a significant, or even primary driver of tourism revenue for some destinations.

===Semantic===

A "[[fishing expedition]]" is a situation where an interviewer implies they know more than they do to trick their target into divulging more information than they wish to reveal. Other examples of fishing terms that carry a negative connotation are: "fishing for compliments", "to be fooled [[Fishing tackle#Hook, line and sinker|hook, line and sinker]]" (to be fooled beyond merely "taking the bait"), and the internet scam of [[phishing]], in which a third party will duplicate a website where the user would put sensitive information (such as bank codes).

===Religious===

Fishing has had an effect on major religions,<ref>Regensteinn J.M. and Regensteinn C.E. (2000) [https://books.google.com/books?id=OFKLk3S0fzgC&dq=%22Religious+food+laws+and+the+seafood+industry%22&pg=PR8 "Religious food laws and the seafood industry"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404060436/https://books.google.com/books?id=OFKLk3S0fzgC&dq=%22Religious+food+laws+and+the+seafood+industry%22&pg=PR8 |date=4 April 2023 }} In: R.E. Martin, E.P. Carter, G.J. Flick Jr and L.M. Davis (Eds) (2000) ''Marine and freshwater products handbook'', CRC Press. {{ISBN|978-1-56676-889-4}}.</ref> including Christianity,<ref>[http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=1246 A Misunderstood Analogy for Evangelism] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081220213144/http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=1246 |date=20 December 2008 }} Bible Analysis Article</ref><ref>[http://www.americanbible.org/brcpages/FishandFishing American Bible Society Article] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905193146/http://americanbible.org/brcpages/FishandFishing |date=5 September 2008 }} American Bible Society</ref> [[Hinduism]], and the various [[new age]]<ref>[http://www.cafeastrology.com/zodiacpisces.html About Pisces the Fish] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906100527/http://www.cafeastrology.com/zodiacpisces.html |date=6 September 2008 }} The Astrology Cafe Monitor</ref> religions. Jesus was said to participate in fishing excursions, and a number of the [[miracle]]s and many parables and stories reported in the Bible involve fish or fishing. Since the [[Apostles in the New Testament|Apostle]] [[Saint Peter|Peter]]<ref>[http://www.ucgstp.org/lit/gn/gn030/peter.html Peter: From Fisherman to Fisher of Men] Profiles of Faith {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306222258/http://www.ucgstp.org/lit/gn/gn030/peter.html |date=6 March 2016 }}</ref> was a fisherman, the Catholic Church has adopted the use of the [[fishermans ring]] into the Pope's traditional [[Papal regalia and insignia|vestments]].

<!-- Needs improvement ===Additional Information about Fishing Industry===
The Most Critical Problems Facing the Fishing Industry

1. Overfishing
- It became a dire problem that gives impact not only in our marine ecosystems but as well as into Foodchain and livelihood. When more fish are taken than can be restored by natural reproduction, overfishing takes place. Fish population losses could result from this, which would affect the ecosystem as a whole. Additionally, overfishing can result in financial losses for fishing communities and potentially the demise of entire fish stocks.

2. Bycatch
- It refers to the unintentional capture of non-target species. This is a serious issue that the fishing industry is now dealing with. This is a substantial resource waste and may also result in the demise of several marine animals, including endangered species. Bycatch can also disturb the equilibrium of the ecosystem and have a negative effect on the population of a particular species. Furthermore, because fewer target species are accessible for harvest and sale, it may result in economic losses for fishing communities. The high rate of bycatch is a vital issue that must be addressed in order to protect the long-term health of our seas and the communities that depend on them. It is a key concern for conservationists.

3. Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU)
- The term "IUU fishing" refers to fishing practices that are illegally, unreported, and unregulated (IUNU). Fishing that is illegal, unreported, unregulated or "IUU" is one of the biggest issues the sector is now dealing with. These practices are frequently carried out in secret, making them challenging to monitor and control. According to team cold lake the scale of IUU fishing is significant, accounting for about 20% of global catches and causing an estimated loss of between $10 billion and $23.5 billion per year to the global economy. This has serious consequences for the fishing industry and marine ecosystem. Additionally, it affects the livelihoods of legal fishermen because it reduces the number of target species available for harvest and sale. IUU fishing is not just one of the serious problems for the fishing industry but for the entire ecosystem and the livelihoods same us of how bycatch affects the communities that depend on it.

The fishing industry became vital as it has an impact to human lives, especially when it comes to livelihoods. However, the industry faces many problems that threaten marine life, the environment and the economy. It is important that we must be responsible and shows that we work together to find sustainable solutions to these problems, such as land-based fish farming, which offers many benefits including reduced environmental impact, increased efficiency and capacity as well as in creating circular economy centers. Furthermore, considering its factors may lead us not to harm our fishing industry instead we give a good contribution to it.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.coldlake.se/blog/most-critical-problems-fishing-industry| title=The Most Critical Problems Facing the Fishing Industry}}</ref> -->

==See also==
{{Portal|Fish}}
{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Angling]]
* [[Artisanal fishing]]
* [[History of fishing]]
* [[List of fishing villages]]
* [[Recreational fishing]]
{{div col end}}

==Notes==
{{NoteFoot}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Sources ==
{{Free-content attribution
| title = Drowning in Plastics – Marine Litter and Plastic Waste Vital Graphics
| publisher = United Nations Environment Programme
| documentURL = https://www.unep.org/resources/report/drowning-plastics-marine-litter-and-plastic-waste-vital-graphics
| license statement URL = https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_Nations_Environment_Programme_Drowning_in_Plastics_%E2%80%93_Marine_Litter_and_Plastic_Waste_Vital_Graphics.pdf
| license = Cc BY-SA 3.0 IGO
}}

==Further reading==
* {{Cite book
| first= Ken
| last= Schultz
| year= 1999
| title= Fishing Encyclopedia: Worldwide Angling Guide
| publisher= [[Wiley (publisher)|John Wiley & Sons]]
| isbn= 978-0-02-862057-2
| url-access= registration
| url= https://archive.org/details/kenschultzsfishi00schu_0
}}
* {{Cite book
| first= Otto
| last= Gabriel
|author2=Andres von Brandt
| year= 2005
| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ziAI8AZsmUoC&q=%22Fish+catching+methods+of+the+world%22
| publisher= Blackwell
| title =Fish catching methods of the world
| isbn= 978-0-85238-280-6}}
* {{Cite book
| first= Dietrich
| last= Sahrhage
|author2=Johannes Lundbeck
| year= 1992
| title= A History of Fishing
| publisher= [[Springer-Verlag]]
| isbn= 978-0-387-55332-0}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links |wikt=fishing |commons=Category:Fishing |b= |n= |q= |s= |v= |voy=Fishing |species=no |d=no |display=Fishing }}
<!--
Please note: This article is a generic fishing article. This is NOT the place for links that are more appropriate to [[angling]], [[sport fishing]], [[fly fishing]], or any one of a number of more specific articles.
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* {{cite web|archive-date=7 January 2013|work=[[Daniel Pauly|Pauly, Daniel]] (2009)|url=http://www.canal.ird.fr/canal.php?url=/programmes/recherches/pauly/index_en.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130107135851/http://en.ird.fr/the-media-centre/videos-online-channel-ird/overfishing-the-point-of-view-of-daniel-pauly/overfishing-the-point-of-view-of-daniel-pauly|title=''The sea without fish, a reality!''|publisher=[[University of British Columbia]]}}.
* [https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/02/22/588034042/new-maps-reveal-global-fishings-vast-scope-of-exploitation-of-the-ocean Map of world ocean fishing activity, 2016]

{{Fisheries and fishing}}
{{Water sports}}
{{Authority control}}

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