Recreational Fishing Vs Commercial Fishing

There is no record when human started fishing, generally fishing is the hunting activity by using hooks, trapping or gathering animals that breathe in water or pass their lives in water. Some take fishing as a full-time profession whilst some consider it as a hobby or sport. Fishing is also a tradition that has lived for decades. Majority of the Americans were taken on fishing trips and most adults today already started fishing before teenage years. For some it is the love for the sport that lives today. To keep the sport going and this tradition alive, the best way is to show the younger generation how to fish and what is it all about.

There are two categories as far as modern fishing is concerned namely recreational and commercial fishing.
Like most sports, fishing has certain guidelines and laws that limit in which fish can be caught. Fishing guidelines are made and overseen by the International Game Fishing Association (IGFA).

Generally, fishing by using rods, reels, lines and hooks are considered legal, whilst fishing guidelines prohibit the use of nets and catching of fish with hooks not in the mouth.

Fishing competition is a favorite form of recreational activity. Such competition allow anglers to compete for prizes based on the total weight of a specific species of fish within give time period.

Commercial fishing is another type of fishing. It allows fisherman to have the opportunity to apply something they love to do to a career of choice. Fishermen provide a large quantity of food to many countries around the world. Considered as job’s disadvantage, fisherman has to travel far into the ocean under all kinds of conditions, for example stormy weather.

Fishing as a full-time profession, fishermen have certain restrictions such as an individual fishing quota and international treaties. International treaties try to limit the fishing effort. This could lack of jobs for the local fisherman.

The most common fish caught in fishing efforts are tuna, cod, salmon, shrimp, krill, lobster, clams, squid and crab. The fishing methods vary according to three things; region, species being fished for and fisherman technology. The fishing industry requirements vary from one man with a small boat to a crew of fisherman that processing fishes onboard a ship “factory”.

Both recreational and commercial fishing has several similarities and differences. One main difference is that recreational fishing is practiced as a hobby in one’s spare timed, while commercial fishing is a career. Recreational can be considered an American tradition while commercial is a career choice.