Fisheries

Fisheries are the commercial, recreational, and tribal harvests of fish and shellfish, and the public systems that manage them. This topic covers catch limits, fishing seasons and licenses, stock assessments, fish farming, and the science that informs them. The National Marine Fisheries Service, regional fishery councils, states, and international agreements share management of fish populations.

People usually ask how fishing is limited to keep fish populations healthy, who decides those limits, and how sustainable seafood is defined. Questions also cover how fishing communities, recreational anglers, and conservation groups weigh in.