SUMMARY

Fishing has been carried out through ages as it has been an ancient practice
dating back to at least 4000 years. In ancient times, the most common
technique was killing fish with spears. The Greeks would hunt fish using
harpoons and the Romans would strike the surface of the sea with nets. In fact,
fishing was held with such high regard in ancient civilization that their rivers and
seas Gods were depicted carrying a three-pronged fishing spear.

In the second century, fishermen were using the fly-fishing method. In this
process artificial bait in bright colors are used to attract fish and make them
captives. The method used in North America was line fishing where fish are
attracted by a morsel of food. Some tribes would use toxic plants to induce
torpor in river fish therefore making them an easy catch. In other civilizations
grill nets made of natural fiber were used which would be suspended straight
down into the water. Another similar method is trawling which involves pulling
a net behind the boat; fish are then hauled into the boat as it moves. By the
twentieth century fishing methods became so efficient that fish-processing
vessels were developed.

Due to this intensive procedure, fish stocks are significantly declining. This
happens because people assume that the supply of fish in the world’s rivers and
oceans is limitless. Fish supplies are beginning to die due to overfishing as there
are no restrictions imposed. The problem also worsens as some countries refuse
to confine their fishing to their own shores.