A fishery can refer to the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life, or more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place. Fisheries can be commercial, which include wild fisheries and fish farms, or recreational, which is fishing for sport or pleasure. Fisheries can also be subsistence, which is fishing for personal, family, and community consumption or sharing. Fisheries are typically defined in terms of the people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats, purpose of the activities, or a combination of these features. Fisheries law is an emerging and specialized area of law that is important in order to craft policy guidelines that maximize sustainability and legal enforcement.
Sustainable fishing means leaving enough fish in the ocean, respecting habitats, and ensuring people who depend on fishing can maintain their livelihoods. Fish populations around the world are in decline, primarily due to overfishing. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NFMS) regulates fishing vessels that operate in Hawaiian waters. NOAA Fisheries Service is the federal agency responsible for the management, conservation, and protection of living marine resources within the United States. The Magnuson-Stevens Act is the law that governs U.S. fisheries management, which is a transparent and robust process of science, management, innovation, and collaboration with the fishing industry.
