fishery

noun

fish·​ery ˈfi-shə-rē How to pronounce fishery (audio)
plural fisheries
1
: the occupation, industry, or season of taking fish or other sea animals (such as sponges, shrimp, or seals) : fishing
2
: a place for catching fish or taking other sea animals
3
: a fishing establishment
also : its fishermen
4
: the legal right to take fish at a particular place or in particular waters
5
: the technology of fishery
—usually plural

Examples of fishery in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Warmer seas would devastate the Pacific’s tuna fisheries, which produce 30% of the world’s catch, and the mangroves where fish hatch, according to the regional scientific organization SPC. — ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026 Public spending on fish stock research and fisheries management is useful, but paying for fuel is a different story. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 The Brandon Road Interbasin Project is a multilayered defense system intended to protect the Great Lakes' multibillion dollar fishery. — Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 31 Aug. 2026 The fallout has been steep, resulting in shredded nets, decimated clam beds and mussel stocks, and hundreds of shuttered fisheries along the Italian coast. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fishery

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of fishery was in 1534

Browse Nearby Words

fisherwoman
fishery
fishery salt
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fishery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fishery. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

fishery

noun
fish·​ery ˈfish-(ə-)rē How to pronounce fishery (audio)
plural fisheries
1
: the activity or business of fishing
2
: a place or establishment for catching fish

More from Merriam-Webster on fishery

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fishery

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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