Fishing Policies

Fishing policies are laws, regulations, or agreements established by regional, national, and international governmental bodies that specify what, where, when, and how aquatic organisms may be harvested from freshwater bodies, coastal areas, and oceans. These include national trade policies such as subsidies for fishers and tariffs, duties, or restrictions on the importation of fish and seafood.

During the 19th century, commercial harvesting methods became more efficient, and freshwater harvests declined as more fish and shellfish were removed than were replaced naturally. Local and national governments started to establish laws that restricted commercial activities, regulating when, what quantities of, and by what methods certain fish and other aquatic organisms could be caught and requiring sport and commercial fishermen to be licensed. The license fees were often employed ...