Fishing dates back to the Upper Paleolithic period about 40,000 years ago and has become a popular recreational activity since the 19th century. The advent of ocean-going fishing vessels in the 16th century led to the development of larger ships which could use a lot of fuel and sometimes process fish on board. Fish can be caught by hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping. Most fish are caught in the wild.
In addition to fish, shellfish, cephalopods, crustaceans, and echinoderms are considered aquatic animals when caught. Usually, the term is not used for catching marine mammals, such as whales, for which the term whaling is more appropriate or for farmed fish.
Here are some vintage photos that captured people proudly posing with fish in the 1960s.
