fishery

noun

fish·​ery ˈfi-shə-rē 

plural fisheries

1

: the occupation, industry, or season of taking fish or other sea animals (such as sponges, shrimp, or seals) : fishing

2

: a place for catching fish or taking other sea animals

3

: a fishing establishment

also : its fishermen

4

: the legal right to take fish at a particular place or in particular waters

5

: the technology of fishery

—usually used in plural

Examples of fishery in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Environmentalists and tribal governments oppose those agreements, calling them an abdication of the state’s regulatory responsibility that gives irrigation districts too much sway over how much water will be allowed to flow through rivers and estuaries amid ongoing fishery and ecological decline. —Andrew Graham may 12, Sacbee.com, 12 May 2026

Over time, those disruptions can ripple through supply chains, affecting seafood availability and pricing across California — from coastal ports to inland restaurants and grocery markets that rely on West Coast fisheries. —Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 12 May 2026

The species’ abundance is now at a record high, and the fishery is no longer considered to be overfished or undergoing overfishing. —Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 9 May 2026

Now, researchers say the fish is showing up in growing numbers in the Arctic and North Atlantic, where communities are increasingly concerned about its impact on native species and fisheries. —Staff Author, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

fishery

noun

fish·​ery ˈfish-(ə-)rē 

plural fisheries

1

: the activity or business of fishing

2

: a place or establishment for catching fish