Fishing is the activity of hunting for fish. By extension, the term fishing is also applied to hunting for other aquatic animals such as various types of shellfish as well as squid, octopus, turtles, frogs and some edible marine invertebrates.

The term fishing is not usually applied to the hunting of aquatic mammals such as whales. Fishing is an ancient and worldwide practice with various techniques and traditions and it has been transformed by modern technological developments. It has even became a sport of some account.

Ghost nets are nets that have been lost at sea. They may continue to be a menace to wildlife for many years.

All fishing nets are meshes usually formed by knotting a relatively thin thread. Modern nets are usually made of artificial polyamides like nylon, although nets of organic polyamides such as wool or silk thread were common until recently and are still used.

Spear fishing is an ancient method of fishing and may be conducted with an ordinary spear or a specialized variant such as an eel spear or the trident.

It is possible to fish with minimal equipment by using only the hands. In the USA catching catfish in this way is known as noodling.

The ancient river Nile was full of fish; fresh and dried fish were a staple food for much of the population. The Egyptians invented various implements and methods for fishing and these are clearly illustrated in tomb scenes, drawings, and papyrus documents.

The origin of fishing dates back 10,000 years to the Mesolithic era.