Widely accepted by professionals and students as one of the most accessible and informative introductory texts on the economically important fishing methods of the world. This new edition has been extensively revised and largely rewritten to reflect the many developments in commercial fishing which have evolved (and continue to evolve) in answer to the urgent need to protect endangered species, to eliminate by-catch, and to protect juvenile and under-sized fish. The very latest information on fishing methods and gear and their applications for the capture of different species is included; extensive references for further reading are provided; new vessel designs are fully covered, and completely new sections review the increasing use of combination vessels able to work several gears in order to meet modern resource management requirements.