FISHERY

FISHERY

Human beings have made use of the aquatic animals of the seas or inland waters for long, and 'fishing' is the term applied for such exploitation of all kinds of aquatic animals. Fish are useful as a source of food, and raw material for fertilisers, lubricants and the cosmetic industry. Nowadays fishery includes the harvesting of other sea products such as pearls, crustaceans, whales, seals, molluscs and seaweeds. However, not all areas of the ocean abound in fish; factors affecting the productivity of the seas are the depth of the water, the ocean c\,lrrents, the temperature and salinity.

Of the annual world fish catch, Asia accounts for over 40 per cent; Europe (including Russia) over 30 per cent; North America, 10 per cent, and the rest of the world the remaining amount. Annual fish consumption per capita is highest in Portugal and Japan.

SPECIES Two main types of fish are saltwater fish which spend their entire lives in the oceans and seas (and form the largest group) and freshwater fish which are found in inland streams, rivers and lakes. Some are anadromous fish, which are spawned in the inland rivers, but spend most of their lives in the seas and only return to the rivers to spawn and to die.

Salt Water Fish The most numerous is the herring. By weight herring is the most important catch of the North Atlantic region. It is also the chief fish caught in Japan and China. Herring are pelagic fish (Le., living near the surface) and are found in large shoals. The mackerel, another pelagic fish, is often found to the south of the areas dominated by herring, Le., in the Mediterranean Sea, off southern Scandinavia, off Cornwall (Britain), in the waters of Caro­lina (USA) and in the Yellow Sea. At night they are striking for the distinct glow they throw on the surface water. Other pelagic fish caught in abundance in most temperate waters are sardines (derived from the Italian island of Sardinia),
pilchards, brisling and anchovies. Menhaden is a pelagic fish that is now caught for its value in making fish-meal and fertiliser.

The most important of the demersal fish (Le., living at the bottom of the sea) is the cod, which, in terms of value, is more important than herring. It is found in the North Sea, off Norway and Iceland and on the Grand Banks off Newfoundland. The other demersal fish or white fish include the haddock which is quite important in the North Atlantic; the halibut which is caught chiefly off British Columbia and north-western USA; and the hake. The tuna or tunny is a large member of the mackerel family, found in the deep seas and oceans. It is caught off Japan and in the Indian Ocean and also in the eastern Pacific where California leads in catch.
Freshwater Fish Commercially, freshwater fish are less important than sea fish.

In North America and Europe, freshwater fishing for trout, perch, pike or salmon in rivers and lakes is a part-time occupation or hobby. Inland fishing is important in the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, and in East Asia. The sturgeon, prized for its flesh as well as its roe (eggs), is fished chiefly in the Caspian Sea. In China and Japan, inland fishing in rivers, lakes and paddy fields is extremely important. Fish farming is quite common. The chief species is the carp. In India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, inland fishing is also important. One-third to one-half of the total catch of these countries comes from inland fishing.

Anadromous Fish The salmon is the most important of the anadromous fish, and is extensively fished in North America, particularly from Alaska to Oregon on the Pacific coast. They travel in large numbers over long distances, but have the instinct to find their original breeding ground. The greatest haul of salwon comes from Alaska.