Abstract
This chapter outlines the current and historical importance of the many types of fishing carried out in estuaries around the world. The types of gear used by small- and large-scale fishers and examples of different fisheries are described. The fisheries productivities of temperate, subtropical, and tropical systems are compared. The effects of fishing on the target organisms, nontarget species, nursery functions, trophic structure, habitats, water quality, the human environment, and extinctions are reviewed using case studies. Finally, the importance of fishing in estuaries is discussed in relation to both conservation and economic issues.