fishing

Fishing is the activity of attempting to capture fish and other aquatic animals for food, recreation, or commercial purposes. It occurs in oceans, rivers, lakes, and other water bodies. Humans have practiced fishing for millennia, using hooks, nets, traps, and spears. Modern fishing includes commercial fleets, artisanal fisheries, and recreational fishing.

Techniques vary: angling (using a rod, reel, line, and bait or lures), netting (gillnets, trawl nets, seine nets), trapping (weirs, fish traps), and spear fishing. Gear ranges from simple hand-lines to advanced sonar and satellite-based navigation. Fish harvest is regulated by quotas, size limits, seasonal closures, licensing, and protected areas to manage stocks and reduce bycatch.

Species targeted include finfish, shellfish, and other aquatic organisms. In commercial fishing, catch is often processed and sold for human consumption, animal feed, or industrial uses. Recreational fishing emphasizes sport, skill, and catch-and-release practices.

Environmental considerations include stock assessments, bycatch reduction, habitat protection, and pollution control. Sustainable fisheries rely on science-based management, ecosystem-based approaches, and enforcement of regulations. Overfishing, habitat degradation, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing threaten many stocks.

Culturally, fishing supports communities, traditional practices, tourism, and cuisine. Safety, ethics, and animal welfare are discussed in many jurisdictions. The term may also refer to fish farming, or aquaculture, which produces fish under controlled conditions.