Fisheries science

Fisheries science is the academic discipline of managing and understanding fisheries. It is a multidisciplinary science, which draws on the disciplines of limnology, oceanography, freshwater biology, marine biology, meteorology, conservation, ecology, population dynamics, economics, statistics, decision analysis, management, and many others in an attempt to provide an integrated picture of fisheries. In some cases new disciplines have emerged, as in the case of bioeconomics and fisheries law. Because fisheries science is such an all-encompassing field, fisheries scientists often use methods from a broad array of academic disciplines. Over the most recent several decades, there have been declines in fish stocks (populations) in many regions along with increasing concern about the impact of intensive fishing on marine and freshwater biodiversity.
Fisheries science is typically taught in a university setting, and can be the focus of an undergraduate, master's or Ph.D. program. Some universities offer fully integrated programs in fisheries science. Graduates of university fisheries programs typically find employment as scientists, fisheries managers of both recreational and commercial fisheries, researchers, aquaculturists, educators, environmental consultants and planners, conservation officers, and many others.
Fisheries research
Because fisheries take place in a diverse set of aquatic environments (i.e., high seas, coastal areas, large and small rivers, and lakes of all sizes), research requires different sampling equipment, tools, and techniques. For example, studying trout populations inhabiting mountain lakes requires a very different set of sampling tools than, say, studying salmon in the high seas. Ocean fisheries research vessels (FRVs) often require platforms which are capable of towing different types of fishing nets, collecting plankton or water samples from a range of depths, and carrying acoustic fish-finding equipment. Fisheries research vessels are often designed and built along the same lines as a large fishing vessel, but with space given over to laboratories and equipment storage, as opposed to storage of the catch. In addition to a diverse set of sampling gear, fisheries scientists often use scientific techniques from many different professional disciplines.
Other important areas of fisheries research are population dynamics, economics, social studies and genetics.
Notable contributors
Members of this list meet one or more of the following criteria: 1) Author of widely cited peer-reviewed articles on fisheries, 2) Author of major reference work in fisheries, 3) Founder of major fisheries journal, museum or other related organisation 4) Person most notable for other reasons who has also worked in fisheries science.
Journals
Some journals about fisheries are
Journal of Fisheries
Fishery Bulletin
Fisheries Oceanography
Journal of the Fisheries Research Board
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
Fisheries Management and Ecology
Fish and Fisheries
Journal of Fish Biology
Journal of Northwest Atlantic Fishery Science
Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
The Open Fish Science Journal
African Journal of Tropical Hydrobiology and Fisheries
ICES Journal of Marine Science
Reviews in Fisheries Science
Chinese Fisheries Journal Listings
General Fisheries Journal Listings
Professional societies
World Council of Fisheries Societies
American Fisheries Society
The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)
The Fisheries Society of the British Isles
The Japanese Society of Fisheries Science
The Australian Society for Fish Biology
See also
The
Categories:
Fisheries and aquaculture research institutes
Notes
References
Hart, Paul J B and Reynolds, John D (2002) Handbook of Fish Biology and Fisheries, Chapter 1, The human dimensions of fisheries science. Blackwell Publishing.
Megrey BA and Moksness E (eds) (2009) Computers in Fisheries Research second edition, Springer. .
Pauly, D and Palomares, M L D (eds) (2002) Production Systems in Fishery Management UBC Fisheries Centre Research Reports 10(8).
Payne A, Cotter AJR, Cotter J and Potter T (2008) Advances in fisheries science: 50 years on from Beverton and Holt John Wiley and Sons. .
External links
The Sea Ahead... learning from the past. A web site of the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies promoting ecosystem-based fisheries science.
What is fisheries science?