{"id":657,"date":"2024-09-19T17:11:19","date_gmt":"2024-09-19T16:11:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fishterm.com\/blog\/?p=657"},"modified":"2025-02-01T19:39:15","modified_gmt":"2025-02-01T18:39:15","slug":"classification-of-fisheries-types-of-fisheries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fishterm.com\/blog\/classification-of-fisheries-types-of-fisheries\/","title":{"rendered":"Classification of All 16 Types of Fisheries on the Basis of 7 Major Criteria"},"content":{"rendered":"

CLASSIFICATION OF ALL 16 TYPES OF FISHERIES BASED ON 7 MAJOR CRITERIA<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Classification
Classification of all 16 types of fisheries<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you are here, it is probably because you intend to know about all the major types of fisheries that exist. Based on intensive research, I have assembled all you need to know about types of fisheries, and have presented these types, as well as the relationships, similarities and differences among them.<\/p>\n

Below is a simple yet comprehensive classification of fisheries using seven major criteria. If you intend to know more about the word fishery, read this page on fisheries<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

Types of fisheries<\/span><\/h2>\n

The major types of fisheries are:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Inland fisheries<\/li>\n
  2. Maritime\/marine fisheries<\/li>\n
  3. Capture fisheries<\/li>\n
  4. Culture fisheries<\/li>\n
  5. Artisanal\/traditional\/subsistence fisheries<\/li>\n
  6. Semi-industrial fisheries<\/li>\n
  7. Industrial fisheries<\/li>\n
  8. Freshwater fisheries<\/li>\n
  9. Brackish water fisheries<\/li>\n
  10. fin fisheries<\/li>\n
  11. Shellfisheries<\/li>\n
  12. Small-scale fisheries<\/li>\n
  13. Medium-scale fisheries<\/li>\n
  14. Large-scale fisheries<\/li>\n
  15. Recreational fisheries<\/li>\n
  16. Subsistence fishery;<\/li>\n
  17. Commercial fisheries<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    B. Classification of fisheries types<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Looking at the above listing, you may not easily see the relationship these fisheries types have with each other. Let’s try to group them based on 7 criteria into 7 categories.<\/p>\n

    \u00a01. Classification of fisheries based on profit<\/span>: Recreational fisheries<\/em> vs<\/span> Commercial fisheries<\/em><\/h3>\n

    Recreational fisheries:\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

    Recreational fishery deals with aquatic resources (mainly fish) that do not constitute the individual’s primary resource to meet basic nutritional needs and are not generally sold or otherwise traded on export. (source: FAO Recreational fisheries. FAO Technical Guidelines for Responsible Fisheries. No. 13<\/a>). It is a non-commercial fishery activity exploiting aquatic living resources for recreation, tourism or sport.<\/p>\n

    Subsistence fishery:<\/span><\/h4>\n

    Capture or culture of living aquatic resources (mainly fish) for family consumption with only excesses sold. It is small-scale fishing using low-tech fishing techniques investing low effort, with the use of smaller manual gears such as surrounding nets, fish traps, cast nets, etc. Subsistence fishing is often classified under artisanal fishing, small-scale fishing, and extensive fishing.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Commercial fisheries:<\/span><\/h4>\n

    Type of fishery which deals with fish and other seafood and resources from oceans, rivers, and lakes to market them. The main reason for this fishery is profit-making.<\/p>\n

    Table 1: Differences between Recreational fisheries and Commercial fisheries:<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Comparison criteria<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nRecreational fisheries <\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nCommercial fisheries <\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    investment scale<\/td>\nsmaller<\/td>\nlarger<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    input effort<\/td>\nsmaller<\/td>\nlarger<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    gear type<\/td>\ntypically smaller manual gears such as hooks and lines, Pots and traps.<\/td>\ntypically larger gears and mechanised gears like purse seine, gillnets, trawls, surrounding nets, lift nets, etc.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    For more, see the full article on recreational fisheries vs subsistence fisheries vs commercial fisheries<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    2. Classification of fisheries based on obtaining method<\/span>: Capture fisheries<\/em> vs<\/span> Culture fisheries<\/em><\/h3>\n

    Capture fisheries:<\/span><\/h4>\n

    This type of fishery deals with the catching\/harvesting of uncultured edible living aquatic resources from the wild. Capture fishery is synonymous with fishing in most contexts.<\/p>\n

    Culture fisheries:<\/span><\/h4>\n

    This type of fishery deals with culturing edible living aquatic resources in a natural environment like rivers, lakes, streams, etc. Culture fishery is synonymous with culture-based or farmed fisheries in most contexts. In contrast to aquaculture which involves the cultivation of aquatic life within controlled environments or the commercial production of certain aquatic species by managing the major part of their life history under strict control, culture-based fisheries increase production in natural environments by controlling a part of the life history of certain species and transplanting or releasing their seed or fry into the open waters (source: Honma, 1980).<\/p>\n

    Table 2: Comparing capture fisheries vs culture fisheries<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Comparison criteria<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nCulture fisheries<\/strong><\/td>\nCapture fisheries<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    resource obtaining method<\/span><\/td>\nfarming<\/td>\nharvest<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    obtaining environment<\/span><\/td>\ncontrolled environment<\/td>\nnatural environment<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    other names<\/span><\/td>\nfarmed fisheries, culture-based fisheries<\/td>\nwild fisheries, wild-caught fisheries, wild-capture fisheries<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    input<\/span><\/td>\nmore input on labour, feeding, etc<\/td>\nlittle or no input<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    natural recruitment<\/span><\/td>\nlow<\/td>\nhigh<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    level of control on organisms’ development<\/span><\/td>\nhigh<\/td>\nlow<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

     <\/p>\n

    3. Classification of fisheries based on products obtained<\/span>: Fin fisheries<\/em> vs<\/span> Shellfisheries<\/em><\/h3>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Fin fisheries:<\/span><\/h4>\n

    Fin fishery also known as finfish fishery deals with true fishes i.e. fishes with fins like tilapia, carp, sardines, etc.<\/p>\n

    Shellfisheries<\/span>:<\/h4>\n

    Shell fishery is a part of non-fin fishery that deals with shelled organisms other than true fish like prawns, crabs, lobsters, mussels, oysters, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Table 3: Comparing Shellfisheries with <\/strong>Finfish fisheries<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Comparison criteria<\/strong><\/em><\/td>\nShellfisheries<\/strong><\/td>\nFinfish fisheries<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Organism’s covering<\/span><\/td>\nshell<\/td>\nfin<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Salinity of environment<\/span><\/td>\nmostly practised in marine environments<\/td>\npractised in both marine, brackish and freshwater environments<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Resource examples<\/span><\/td>\nprawns, crabs, lobsters, mussels, oysters<\/td>\ntilapia, carp, kanga, etc.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Other names<\/span><\/td>\nshellfisheries<\/td>\nfin fisheries<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

     <\/p>\n

    4. Classification of fisheries based on water salinity<\/span>: Freshwater fisheries<\/em> vs<\/span> Brackish water fisheries<\/em> vs<\/span> Marine fisheries<\/em><\/h3>\n

    Freshwater fisheries:<\/span><\/h4>\n

    Freshwater fishery deals with fish that spend some or all of their lives in freshwater, such as rivers and lakes, with a salinity of less than 1.05%.\u00a0 Examples of freshwater fish species are Carp, Catfish, Trout, Salmon, Perch, and Sunfish.<\/p>\n

    Brackish water fisheries<\/span>:<\/h4>\n

    Brackish water fishery, also known as estuarine fishery is fishery practiced in a mixture of fresh and salty water which usually occurs in estuaries and has a salinity usually of between 15 and 30 per thousand.\u00a0 Examples of freshwater fish species are\u00a0Dragon Goby \u00b7 <\/span>Crab-Eating Frog \u00b7 Archer Fish \u00b7\u00a0 Mudskipper \u00b7<\/span>American Alligator<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Marine\/maritime fisheries<\/span>:<\/h4>\n

    Marine or maritime fishery is a fishery dealing with fish living in saline environments like oceans, seas, etc. Marine fishery species include Atlantic Bonito \u00b7 Atlantic Menhaden<\/span> \u00b7 Atlantic Croaker\u00a0 \u00b7 Atlantic Spadefish.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Table 4: Difference between Freshwater, Brackish and Marine <\/strong>fisheries<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Comparison criteria<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/td>\nFreshwater\u00a0fisheries<\/strong><\/td>\nBrackish fisheries<\/strong><\/td>\n Marine fisheries<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Salinity range<\/span><\/td>\nsalinity value of\u00a0less than 0.5 ppt<\/td>\nsalinity anywhere between 0.5 ppt and \u00a035 ppt<\/td>\ntypically 35 ppt but ranges between 33-37 grams per liter (33ppt – 37ppt)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Environment<\/span><\/td>\nmostly practised in freshwater environments<\/td>\npracticed in estuarine environments<\/td>\nmostly practised in marine environments<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Resource examples<\/span><\/td>\ntilapia, carp, kanga, etc.<\/span><\/td>\nDragon Goby \u00b7 Crab-Eating Frog \u00b7 Archer Fish \u00b7\u00a0 Mudskipper including some species of prawns, crabs, lobsters, mussels, oysters<\/td>\nprawns, crabs, lobsters, mussels, oysters<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Other names<\/span><\/td>\nshellfisheries<\/td>\nestuarine fisheries<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

     <\/p>\n

    5. Classification of fisheries based on location<\/span>: Inland fisheries<\/em> vs<\/span> Marine\/Maritime\u00a0fisheries<\/em><\/h3>\n

    Inland fisheries:<\/span><\/h4>\n

    Inland fishery is any activity conducted to extract aquatic organisms (fish, crustaceans, and others)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>from inland waters.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Maritime fisheries<\/span>:<\/h4>\n

    Unlike inland fishery, maritime fishery is a fishery dealing with fish living in saline environments like oceans, seas, etc. Marine fishery species include Atlantic Bonito \u00b7 Atlantic Menhaden.<\/p>\n

    Table 5: Comparing the difference between Inland and Marine <\/strong>fisheries<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Comparison criteria<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/td>\nInland fisheries<\/strong><\/td>\n Marine fisheries<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Salinity range<\/span><\/td>\nsalinity value of less than 35 ppt<\/td>\nsalinity is typically greater than 33 ppt<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Environment<\/span><\/td>\nmostly practiced in freshwater<\/span> and estuarine<\/span> environments<\/td>\nmostly practiced in marine<\/span> environments<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Resource examples<\/span><\/td>\ntilapia, carp, kanga, etc.<\/span><\/td>\n\u00a0Atlantic Croaker\u00a0 \u00b7 Atlantic Spadefish and many marine prawns, crabs, lobsters, mussels, and oysters<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Other names<\/span><\/td>\n–<\/td>\nmaritime fisheries<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    Read more on the differences between inland and marine fisheries<\/a>.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    6. Classification of fisheries based on scale<\/span>: Small-scale fisheries<\/em> vs<\/span> Medium-scale fisheries\u00a0<\/em>vs\u00a0<\/span>Large-scale fisheries<\/em><\/h3>\n

    Small-scale fisheries:<\/span><\/h4>\n

    These fisheries are characterised by low capital investment, high labour activities often family or community-based, no vessel or small-size vessels. Some sub-groups of fishery that are considered synonymous with small-scale fisheries include subsistence fisheries and traditional fisheries.<\/p>\n

    Medium-scale fisheries<\/span>:<\/h4>\n

    It is a fishery undertaken by powered boats and with small or medium-sized capital. Medium-sized fishery is in between small and large-scale fisheries.<\/p>\n

    Large-scale fisheries:<\/span><\/h4>\n

    Fisheries are typically mechanized and employ advanced technology, high capital investment, heavy gears, and large-sized vessels.<\/p>\n

    Table 6: Difference between Small-scale, Medium-scale and Large-scale <\/strong>fisheries<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Comparison criteria<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/td>\nSmall-scale fisheries<\/strong><\/td>\nMedium-scale fisheries<\/strong><\/td>\n Large-scale fisheries<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Input\u00a0 and output scale<\/span><\/td>\nsmall<\/td>\nmedium<\/td>\nlarge<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Technology level<\/span><\/td>\nlow<\/td>\nmedium<\/td>\nhigh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Capital investment<\/span><\/td>\nlow<\/td>\nmedium<\/td>\nhigh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    7. Classification of fisheries based on technology<\/span>: Artisanal fisheries<\/em> vs<\/span> Semi-industrial fisheries <\/em>vs\u00a0<\/span>Industrial fisheries<\/em><\/h3>\n

    Artisanal fisheries:<\/span><\/h4>\n

    Artisanal fishery (or traditional\/subsistence fishery) consists of various small-scale, low-technology, low-capital, fishery practices undertaken by individual fishermen or their families.<\/p>\n

    Semi-industrial fisheries:<\/span><\/h4>\n

    It is a fishery undertaken by powered boats and with small or medium-sized capital. Medium-sized fishery is in between small and large-scale fisheries.<\/p>\n

    Industrial fisheries:<\/span><\/h4>\n

    Fisheries are typically mechanized and employ advanced technology, high capital investment, heavy gear, and large-sized vessels.<\/p>\n

    Table 7: Difference between Artisanal, Semi-industrial and Industrial fisheries<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Comparison criteria<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/td>\nArtisanal fisheries<\/strong><\/td>\nSemi-industrial fisheries<\/strong><\/td>\nIndustrial fisheries<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Input\u00a0 and output scale<\/span><\/td>\nsmall manual input<\/td>\nmedium<\/td>\nlarge labour and energy input, and high output<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Labour source<\/span><\/td>\nsingle persons or their families<\/td>\ncommunity-based labour<\/td>\ntrained employees<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Technology level<\/span><\/td>\nlow<\/td>\nmedium<\/td>\nhigh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Gears used<\/span><\/td>\nmanual gears like kooks, lines, pots, cast net, etc.<\/td>\nsmall motorised gears like small engine vessels with gears like trawls.<\/td>\nlarge motorised gears like large engine vessels, trawlers, shrimpers, etc.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Capital investment<\/span><\/td>\nlow<\/td>\nmedium<\/td>\nhigh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n

    We just provided a list of major fisheries types. Less popular or minor types have been elaborated in their corresponding posts. For instance, fisheries like onshore fishery and offshore fishery have been expounded under our post on marine fisheries.<\/p>\n

    For more information about fishery, visit our Fisheries Terminology Dictionary portal<\/a>. If you have any questions, or any other fishery type not mentioned in our classification above, kindly drop them in the comment section.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    CLASSIFICATION OF ALL 16 TYPES OF FISHERIES BASED ON 7 MAJOR CRITERIA   If you are here, it is probably […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,55],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-657","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fisheries-science","category-fishery-types"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fishterm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/657","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fishterm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fishterm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishterm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishterm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=657"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishterm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/657\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fishterm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=657"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishterm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=657"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fishterm.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=657"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}