Extended Operational and Trade Vocabulary

Fishing Vessels and Fisheries Management glossary

The fishing-vessel and management vocabulary: STCW-F and ILO C188 safety requirements, the RFMO-managed species (Atlantic bluefin under ICCAT), abnormal-catch reporting, above-deck processing, and the gear, quota, and vessel-type terms. Grounds each term in the fisheries-management measure or the fishing-vessel operation it belongs to.

596 defined terms.

Showing 250 on this page (page 1 of 3).

A

Abandon Ship Drill (Fishing Vessel): Mandatory periodic muster and lifecraft launching exercise required under STCW-F 1995 and ILO C188 for crew familiarization with survival craft.
ABFT: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus), the principal high-value species managed under ICCAT Recommendation 22-08.
Abnormal Catch Report: Logbook entry required by several RFMOs when catch composition or volume deviates materially from declared target species.
Above-Deck Processing: Fish handling performed on the working deck of a vessel that lacks a fully enclosed factory space.
Absorption Refrigeration (Fishing Vessel): Ammonia-water chiller plant used on some older trawlers for hold cooling where compressor systems were impractical.
Acoustic Deterrent Device (ADD): Underwater sound device to reduce marine mammal bycatch or interactions.
Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (Fisheries Use): Hull-mounted instrument used by research and pelagic vessels to characterize water column flow relevant to fish behavior.
Acoustic Survey Vessel: Research vessel equipped with calibrated echosounders for estimating pelagic biomass, operated by agencies such as IMR Bergen and IEO Vigo.
Active Gear: Fishing gear that is towed or otherwise moved through the water during capture, including trawls and seines.
Adriatic Demersal Trawl Fleet: Italian and Croatian otter trawlers operating under GFCM management measures in GSA 17 and GSA 18.
Aft Gantry (Stern Trawler): Lifting structure over the stern ramp used to handle the cod end and trawl doors.
Aft Trawl Winch: Drum winch located on the stern shelter deck of a modern trawler for warp recovery.
Aggregating Device: Object such as a FAD attracting fish for capture.
AIS Class A (Fishing Vessel Requirement): Carriage obligation under EU Regulation 1224/2009 for EU fishing vessels of 15 meters length overall and above.
Alaska Pollock: Gadoid groundfish *Gadus chalcogrammus*, supporting one of the world's largest single-species fisheries.
Alaskan King Crab: Paralithodes camtschaticus, harvested by pot vessels under IFQ allocation following the 2005 Bering Sea crab rationalization.
Albacore: *Thunnus alalunga*, a temperate tuna prized for canning.
Albacore Trolling Vessel: Pacific Northwest vessel rigged with multiple trolling lines and bait jigs for surface albacore tuna.
American Seafoods: US flag operator of Bering Sea pollock factory trawlers including the American Triumph and Northern Eagle.
American Triumph: US flag Bering Sea pollock factory trawler operating under the American Fisheries Act 2000 cooperative.
Anchor Seine: Net deployed in a pear shape from a fixed anchor point and hauled to encircle demersal fish, the basis of Danish seining.
Anchoveta: *Engraulis ringens*, the Peruvian anchovy, target of the largest single-species fishery in tonnage.
Angling Vessel (Commercial): Small vessel using rod and reel for commercial line caught species such as US Atlantic tilefish.
Annelies Ilena: Netherlands flagged pelagic factory trawler regarded as among the largest fishing vessels in the world by capacity.
Annex VI (Cape Town Agreement): Chapter of the agreement covering protection of the crew and life saving appliances on fishing vessels of 24 meters and above.
Antarctic Krill Fishery: CCAMLR managed harvest of Euphausia superba primarily by Norwegian, Chinese, and Korean trawlers using continuous pumping systems.
Antarctic Toothfish: Dissostichus mawsoni, longlined under CCAMLR conservation measures in the Ross Sea and adjacent areas.
Argentine Hake: Merluccius hubbsi, the principal target of the Argentine demersal trawl fleet in the Southwest Atlantic.
Argos Beacon (Fishing Vessel): Satellite transmitter historically used for VMS reporting before Inmarsat and Iridium predominated.
Articulated Boom (Beam Trawler): Side mounted spreader frame on Dutch beam trawlers from which the chain matrix and net are suspended.
Artisanal Fishery: Small scale, often family operated fishery typically using passive gear and limited mechanization.
Atlantic bluefin tuna: *Thunnus thynnus*, a large highly migratory pelagic managed by ICCAT.
Atlantic cod: *Gadus morhua*, a North Atlantic gadid historically central to Newfoundland and North Sea fisheries.
Atlantic Mackerel: Scomber scombrus, a key pelagic species shared by the EU, UK, Norway, Faroes, and Iceland.
Atlantic Star: Russian flagged pelagic supertrawler reported among the largest in the Northeast Atlantic fleet.
Auto-baiter (Longliner): Machine on demersal longliners that automatically baits each hook on the mainline during shooting.
Automatic Identification System: VHF data system mandated by SOLAS Chapter V for vessels of 300 GT and above on international voyages.
Automatic Jigging Machine: Computer controlled reel used on squid jiggers to oscillate lures with multiple barbless hooks.

B

B/BMSY: Ratio of current biomass to BMSY used to characterize stock status, with values below one indicating an overfished condition.
Backdown Maneuver: Procedure used by tuna purse seiners in the Eastern Pacific to release dolphins from the net under IATTC AIDCP measures.
Baited Hook: Single hook on a longline gangion, carrying mackerel, squid, or other bait species.
Bakkafrost: Faroe Islands salmon farming company operating well boats and service vessels in the North Atlantic.
Ballast Water Convention (Fishing Vessel Application): IMO BWM Convention 2004 generally exempts fishing vessels, with the IMO encouraging voluntary best practice.
Baltic Cod Plan: EU multiannual management plan under Regulation 2016/1139 covering Western and Eastern Baltic cod stocks.
Baltic Sprat: Sprattus sprattus, a key pelagic species managed under EU TAC and quota in the Baltic Sea.
Bareboat Charter (Fishing Vessel): Lease arrangement under which the lessee mans, operates, and flags the vessel for the charter period.
Barents Sea Cod: Northeast Arctic cod stock jointly managed by Norway and Russia and assessed by the ICES AFWG working group.
Barotrauma: Pressure injury to swim bladder fish caused by rapid ascent, relevant to discard survival assessments.
Basket of Hooks (Longline): Section of mainline carrying a standardized count of branch lines, the operational unit recorded in tuna longline logbooks.
Bass Strait Scallop Fishery: Australian managed dredge fishery for commercial scallop (Pecten fumatus).
Beam Length (Beam Trawl): Spread between the trawl heads, typically 4 to 12 meters in the Dutch sole fishery.
Beam Trawl: Fishing net held open by a rigid beam.
Beam Trawler: Vessel rigged to tow two beam trawls from outrigger booms, characteristic of the Dutch and English North Sea fleet.
Beam Trawler with Chain Matrix: Variant carrying a horizontal grid of chains ahead of the ground rope to stimulate buried flatfish.
Bearing Compass (Fishing Vessel): Auxiliary compass required by SOLAS Chapter V and by the Cape Town Agreement Annex IV for vessels above the size threshold.
Bering Sea Pollock Fishery: US managed cooperative groundfish fishery, the largest US fishery by landings.
Best Available Science Standard: Requirement under US Magnuson-Stevens Act for fishery management plans to use the best scientific information available.
Bilge Alarm (Fishing Vessel): High level sensor required by classification rules and by the Cape Town Agreement on covered vessels.
Billfish: Marlins, sailfish, and swordfish, primarily managed by ICCAT, IOTC, IATTC, and WCPFC.
Biological Reference Point: Quantitative benchmark such as BMSY or FMSY used in stock assessment to characterize stock status.
Biomass at MSY (BMSY): Stock biomass that, on average, produces the maximum sustainable yield under prevailing conditions.
Blast Freezer: High velocity cold air tunnel used aboard factory trawlers and reefer carriers to freeze fish rapidly.
Blue Whiting: Micromesistius poutassou, a pelagic gadid targeted by Faroese, Norwegian, Russian, and EU midwater trawlers.
Bluefin Catch Document (BCD): ICCAT and CCSBT trade tracking document accompanying bluefin tuna from harvest to market.
Bobbin Gear: Large rubber or steel rollers attached along the ground rope to enable trawling on uneven bottom.
Bonito: Medium-sized tuna-like fishes of the genus *Sarda*.
Bottom Longliner: Vessel deploying weighted mainlines along the seabed for demersal species such as cod, haddock, and halibut.
Bottom Trawler: Vessel towing a trawl in contact with the seabed for demersal species.
Branch Line: Short line connecting a baited hook to the longline mainline, also called a gangion.
Bridles (Trawl): Wires connecting the trawl doors to the wing ends or sweeps of the net.
Brine Refrigeration: Calcium chloride or sodium chloride secondary refrigerant system used on tuna seiners for direct fish chilling.
Bulkhead Subdivision (Fishing Vessel): Requirement under Cape Town Agreement Annex II for transverse watertight bulkheads on vessels of 45 meters and above.
Bunker Survey (Fishing Vessel): Measurement of fuel onboard before and after a trip, required for VMS calibration and emissions monitoring in some jurisdictions.
Buyback Program: Government funded scheme to reduce fishing capacity by purchasing and decommissioning vessels and permits.
Bycatch: Catch of species other than the target species, addressed by FAO International Guidelines on Bycatch Management 2011.
Bycatch Reduction Device (BRD): Modification to trawl gear, such as a square mesh panel, that allows escape of non-target species.

C

Cable (Trawl Warp): Steel rope connecting the winch to the trawl doors, sized to vessel power and fishing depth.
Cape Town Agreement (FAO 2012): International instrument adopted in 2012 amending the 1977 and 1993 Torremolinos protocols to set binding safety standards for fishing vessels of 24 meters and above.
Cape Town Agreement Entry Into Force Formula: Requires 22 contracting states with an aggregate of at least 3,600 fishing vessels of 24 meters and above operating on the high seas.
Capelin: *Mallotus villosus*, a small forage fish of the North Atlantic and Arctic.
Capture Fishery: Wild caught fishery as opposed to aquaculture, the subject of FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries 1995.
Carrier Vessel: Fish reefer or transport vessel that ships catch from fishing grounds to port, regulated by RFMO transshipment programs.
Catch Certification Scheme: Mechanism such as the EU IUU Regulation catch certificate to validate legal origin of imported fishery products.
Catch Composition: Species breakdown of a haul, recorded in logbooks under EU Regulation 1224/2009 and RFMO measures.
Catch Documentation Scheme (CDS): Traceability mechanism to combat IUU fishing.
Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE): Catch divided by fishing effort, used as a relative abundance index.
Catch Share: Allocation of a portion of a TAC to an individual, vessel, cooperative, or community.
Catcher Processor: Vessel that catches and processes fish onboard, also referred to as a factory trawler.
Catcher Vessel: Vessel that delivers unprocessed catch to a mothership or shoreside plant, a category under the US American Fisheries Act.
CCAMLR: Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.
CCAMLR Convention Area: Waters south of the Antarctic Convergence regulated for fisheries by CCAMLR.
CCSBT: Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna.
CCSBT Effective Catch Limit: National allocations for Thunnus maccoyii agreed by the extended commission for three year management periods.
Cermaq: Norwegian and Chilean salmon farming company operating well boats and service craft, owned by Mitsubishi Corporation.
Certificate of Competency (Skipper, Fishing): National qualification for command of a fishing vessel, structured around STCW-F categories.
Certificate of Compliance (STCW-F): Document evidencing that a fishing vessel officer or crew member meets STCW-F 1995 standards.
Chain Matrix (Beam Trawler): Array of tickler chains rigged ahead of the ground rope to disturb buried flatfish.
Champagne Ice: Trade term for slurry ice with a high fraction of suspended micro crystals used to chill pelagic fish.
Charterboat (Commercial): Vessel engaged in for-hire fishing trips, regulated under national recreational and commercial fisheries rules.
Chilean Hake: Merluccius gayi, harvested by trawl and longline fleets off Chile under SUBPESCA management.
Chilean Jack Mackerel: Trachurus murphyi, managed by the SPRFMO under multiannual rebuilding measures.
Chilean Sea Bass: Market name for Dissostichus eleginoides (Patagonian toothfish).
China National Fisheries Corporation (CNFC): State owned enterprise that historically operated a large share of the Chinese distant water fleet.
Chinese Distant Water Fleet: Largest national distant water fishing fleet by vessel numbers, regulated by MARA and reported to RFMOs of operation.
Chum Salmon: Oncorhynchus keta, harvested by gillnetters, seiners, and trollers in the Northeast Pacific.
Class A AIS (Fishing Vessel): Carriage requirement under EU control regulation for vessels of 15 meters and above.
Closed area: Defined zone where specified fishing activities are prohibited.
Closed Season: Temporal fishery management measure prohibiting fishing during defined periods.
Coastal Cod (Norwegian): Inshore Atlantic cod stock managed separately from Northeast Arctic cod under ICES advice.
Cod End: Rear bag of a trawl net where catch accumulates, often fitted with a codend cover for selectivity trials.
Cod End Mesh Size: Minimum mesh dimension specified by RFMO and national rules, typically 70 to 130 millimeters for demersal trawls.
Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (FAO 1995): Voluntary instrument adopted by the FAO Conference setting principles and standards for sustainable fisheries.
Coho Salmon: Oncorhynchus kisutch, a Pacific salmon harvested by trollers, gillnetters, and seiners.
Cold Chain (Fisheries): Continuous low temperature handling from catch through transport and storage to preserve product quality.
Common Fisheries Policy (EU): EU framework under Regulation 1380/2013 governing fishing fleet, access, and conservation measures.
Compulsory Pilotage Exemption (Fishing Vessel): National port rule sometimes exempting small fishing vessels from pilotage requirements.
Continental Shelf Fishery: Demersal and benthic fishery operating over the geological continental shelf to about 200 meters depth.
Continuous Synopsis Record (Fishing Vessel): Not required by SOLAS for most fishing vessels but maintained voluntarily by some large factory trawlers.
Cook Strait Hoki Fishery: New Zealand managed midwater and bottom trawl fishery for Macruronus novaezelandiae under QMS.
Cooperative Quota: Allocation held collectively by a sector cooperative, common in US Bering Sea pollock under the AFA.
Coral Reef Bottom Trawl Ban (SPRFMO): SPRFMO measures restricting bottom contact gear in vulnerable marine ecosystems of the South Pacific.
CPUE Standardization: Statistical adjustment of nominal catch per unit effort to account for vessel, gear, and environmental differences.
Crab pot: Baited trap used to catch crabs.
Crab Pot Vessel: Vessel rigged to deploy and retrieve baited pots, typically using a hydraulic block and launcher.
Crew Accommodation Standard (ILO C188): Annex III requirements for fishing vessel sleeping rooms, mess, sanitary, and recreation spaces.
Crowding (Purse Seine): Phase of operation in which the seine is pursed and the catch concentrated for brailing.

D

Damen Sea Axe: Damen Shipyards platform, including 100 meter variants used as offshore support and research vessels rather than fishing vessels.
Danish Anchor Seine: Net set in a pear shape from an anchor buoy and hauled to herd demersal fish into the bag.
Danish Seiner: Vessel rigged with two large warp drums to deploy and recover an anchor seine.
Days at Sea: Effort based management metric, used in EU and US plans to limit fishing time per vessel.
Decked Vessel: Fishing vessel with a continuous weather deck, a structural threshold in FAO statistical categorization.
Deep Sea Bottom Trawling Resolution: UN General Assembly Resolutions 61/105 and 64/72 calling for protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems from bottom gears.
Delegated Management Plan (RFMO): Plan adopted by a Regional Fisheries Management Organization for a specific stock or fishery.
Demersal Longliner: Vessel deploying a bottom anchored mainline with baited hooks for groundfish, prominent in Norway and Iceland.
Demersal Species: Fish living on or near the seabed such as cod, haddock, hake, and flatfish.
Demersal Trawl: Bottom trawl designed for groundfish, usually rigged with rockhopper, bobbin, or rubber disc ground gear.
Derby Fishery: Race for fish under an Olympic style TAC, largely replaced by IFQ and cooperative systems in major fisheries.
Discard: Catch returned to the sea, addressed under EU Common Fisheries Policy landing obligation Article 15.
Discard Ban (EU Landing Obligation): Requirement under Regulation 1380/2013 to land all catches of species subject to TACs.
Dissostichus eleginoides: Patagonian toothfish, managed by CCAMLR and SEAFO with CCAMLR catch documentation.
Dissostichus mawsoni: Antarctic toothfish, harvested under CCAMLR Conservation Measures in the Ross Sea region.
Distant Water Fishing Fleet (DWF): Vessels operating outside their flag state EEZ, including the Chinese, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese fleets.
DolphinSafe Tuna Standard: Earth Island Institute label criteria for tuna caught without intentional dolphin encirclement.
Doors (Trawl): Otter boards that shear outward to spread the trawl mouth horizontally.
Doppler Sonar (Fisheries): Hull mounted instrument used to measure water flow during fishing operations.
Dragger: North American colloquial term for a bottom trawler.
Dredge (Fishing Gear): Heavy frame and tooth bar with attached chain or mesh bag, used for scallops, oysters, and clams.
Drift Gillnet: Unanchored gillnet drifting with current and wind, regulated under UN General Assembly Resolution 46/215 on large scale high seas driftnets.
Drift Gillnetter: Vessel deploying drift gillnets, used historically in the North Pacific salmon and squid fisheries.
Driftnet Ban (UN 1992): Global moratorium under UN GA Resolution 46/215 on large scale driftnets longer than 2.5 kilometers on the high seas.
Dry Hold: Refrigerated hold without circulating seawater, used for boxed and palletized fish on stern trawlers.
Dual Fisheries (RFMO Overlap): Fishing operations subject to more than one RFMO, common where ICCAT and IOTC waters meet near the Cape of Good Hope.
Dual Frequency Echosounder: Calibrated 38 and 200 kilohertz transducer used for pelagic biomass estimation.
Duct Keel (Fishing Vessel): Structural channel along the bottom of larger fishing vessels for piping runs and access.
Dynamic Positioning (Fishing Vessel): Used on some well boats and large factory vessels for station keeping at quayside transfer.

E

Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) Tuna Fishery: Tuna purse seine and longline fishery managed by IATTC and the AIDCP.
EBFM: Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management, an approach incorporated into the US National Standard 1 guidelines and EU Common Fisheries Policy.
Echo Integrator: Signal processing instrument that converts echosounder returns into biomass estimates.
Echo Sounder (Fishing Vessel): Vertical sonar required by SOLAS Chapter V for vessels of 300 gross tonnage and above and used universally on fishing vessels.
EEZ: Exclusive Economic Zone, up to 200 nm under UNCLOS Part V.
EFCA: European Fisheries Control Agency headquartered in Vigo, established under Regulation 768/2005.
Effort Based Management: System limiting input such as days at sea or engine kilowatts rather than catch.
Electric Pulse Trawl: Trawl using electrical stimulation; banned in EU waters.
Electronic Logbook (Fishing Vessel): Mandatory under EU Regulation 1224/2009 for vessels of 12 meters and above.
Electronic Monitoring (EM): Camera and sensor system used on fishing vessels to verify catch composition and discards, mandated by some RFMOs.
Encirclement (Tuna Purse Seine): Setting category in IATTC and WCPFC logbooks distinguishing sets on dolphins, FADs, free schools, and other.
End-of-Life Disposal (Fishing Vessel): Recycling and decommissioning of fishing vessels, addressed by the Hong Kong Convention 2009 for vessels of 500 gross tonnage and above.
Enhanced Cooperating Non-Contracting Party: Status accorded by some RFMOs to non-members that observe conservation and management measures.
EPIRB (Fishing Vessel): 406 megahertz emergency position indicating radio beacon required under Cape Town Agreement Annex IV and IMO LSA Code.
Erika Type Hull (Tanker Reference): Irrelevant to fishing vessels; included only to distinguish from purpose built fishing hulls.
Escape Window (Trawl): Selectivity device such as a square mesh panel or sorting grid in a trawl belly or extension.
Estonian Pelagic Fleet: Baltic Sea sprat and herring purse seine and pelagic trawl fleet, EU quota holder.
EU IUU Regulation 1005/2008: EU Council Regulation establishing the catch certification system to prevent imports of IUU caught fishery products.
European Maritime Affairs Fund: EU funding instrument under Regulation 2021/1139 supporting fisheries and aquaculture investments.
Exit From Fishery Scheme: Funded mechanism to remove capacity from a fleet by buying back vessels and permits.
Exploited Stock: Stock under active commercial fishing, classified by FAO SOFIA as underfished, fully fished, or overfished.
Extended Stock Assessment Working Group: ICES expert body that reviews assessments before STECF or HCS adoption.
External Tally (Reefer Carrier): Independent count of cartons transshipped from fishing vessel to carrier, required under several RFMO transshipment schemes.

F

F/FMSY: Ratio of current fishing mortality to FMSY used in stock status classification.
Factory Trawler: Stern trawler with onboard processing.
FAD: Fish Aggregating Device, a floating raft or buoy beneath which tropical tunas school.
FAD Marker Buoy: Satellite linked buoy attached to a drifting FAD by tuna purse seiners, registered with the relevant RFMO.
FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
FAO Cape Town Agreement (2012): International instrument setting safety standards for fishing vessels of 24 meters and above; not yet in force as of 2025.
FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (1995): Voluntary framework adopted by the FAO Conference at its 28th session.
FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Statistics: Annual global capture and aquaculture data series published by FAO Rome.
FAO Fishing Vessel Type Classification: Standardized typology including trawlers, seiners, gillnetters, longliners, jiggers, and trap setters.
FAO IPOA-IUU (2001): International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing.
FAO IPOA-Seabirds (1999): International Plan of Action for Reducing Incidental Catch of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries.
FAO IPOA-Sharks (1999): International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks.
FAO Major Fishing Areas: Numbered statistical areas used in capture production reporting, from Area 18 Arctic to Area 88 Antarctic Pacific.
FAO Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA 2009): Adopted in 2009 and entered into force on 5 June 2016, the first binding international agreement targeting IUU fishing through port state controls.
FAO SOFIA Report: The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture biennial report.
FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Flag State Performance: Adopted by the FAO Conference in 2014 to strengthen flag state implementation.
FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Small Scale Fisheries: SSF Guidelines endorsed by the FAO Committee on Fisheries in 2014.
Faroe Marine Research Institute: Havstovan, the Faroese fisheries science body contributing to ICES and NEAFC.
Faroe Pelagic Fleet: Faroese pelagic trawlers targeting herring, mackerel, and blue whiting under coastal state agreements.
Fastening (Cod End): Lacing of the cod end mesh through grommets to retain catch and permit discharge.
Federal Fisheries Service (Russia): Rosrybolovstvo, the executive agency administering Russian fisheries.
Feed Vessel (Aquaculture): Service vessel transporting pelletized feed to fish farms, distinct from capture fishing vessels.
Finger Pier (Fishing Port): Small projecting pier serving artisanal and small commercial fleets.
Fish Aggregating Device (Anchored): Moored device used in coastal small scale tuna fisheries, common in the Maldives and Philippines.
Fish Aggregating Device (Drifting): Untethered floating object deployed by tuna purse seiners with a satellite buoy.
Fish Carrier: Reefer vessel used to transport frozen or chilled fish between fishing grounds and shore facilities.
Fish Hold Capacity: Volume of refrigerated cargo space declared in vessel registers and used as a capacity proxy in RFMO records.
Fish Pump (Pelagic): Vacuum or centrifugal pump used to transfer pelagic species from purse seine or trawl to hold.
Fishery Improvement Project (FIP): Multi-stakeholder effort to improve a fishery toward MSC certification.
Fishing capacity: Maximum catch a fleet can produce given current technology and inputs.
Fishing Effort: Quantity of fishing activity in vessel days or hours.
Fishing Gear Marking: Identification of gear required under FAO Voluntary Guidelines for the Marking of Fishing Gear 2018.
Fishing License: Permit issued by a flag state or coastal state authorizing a vessel to fish.
Fishing Master: Senior officer responsible for fishing operations on large pelagic trawlers and tuna seiners.
Fishing Mortality (F): Instantaneous rate at which fish are removed from a stock by fishing.
Fishing Vessel Insurance: Hull, machinery, and protection and indemnity cover for fishing vessels, often through specialized mutuals.
Fishing Vessel Safety Code (FAO/ILO/IMO): Voluntary Code of Safety for Fishermen and Fishing Vessels, parts A and B.
Fishing Vessel Stability Information Booklet: Required under the Torremolinos Protocol and the Cape Town Agreement for vessels of 24 meters and above.
Flag State: State of the ship's nationality, with jurisdiction under UNCLOS Article 94.
Flag State Performance Guidelines: FAO instrument adopted in 2014 to strengthen flag state responsibilities for vessels including fishing vessels.
Flake Ice Plant: Onboard ice maker producing thin flakes used to chill catch in fish holds and bins.
Flatfish: Fish of the order Pleuronectiformes, including flounder, sole, halibut, and turbot.
Flemish Cap: NAFO Division 3M, a key NAFO management area off Canada.
Floating Storage and Processing Unit (Fisheries): Mothership platform serving as a base for catcher vessels in some tuna and salmon operations.
FMSY: Fishing mortality producing MSY.
Foot Rope: Lower edge of the trawl mouth, fitted with weights, chains, rollers, or bobbins.
Fore Triangle Sounding Pipe (Fishing Vessel): Required vent and sounding arrangement for fuel and water tanks under classification rules and Cape Town Agreement.
Free School Set (Tuna Purse Seine): Set on a naturally schooling tuna aggregation without associated floating objects.
Freezer Longliner: Pelagic or demersal longliner with onboard plate or blast freezing.
Freezer Trawler: Stern trawler freezing catch onboard without further processing into fillets or surimi.
Fully Documented Fishery: Fishery operating under comprehensive electronic monitoring and full retention.

G

Gaff Hook (Tuna Vessel): Hand tool used by pole and line and longline crews to bring tuna aboard.
Galilee Fishery (Sea of): Inland commercial fishery for tilapia and sardines, regulated by Israel.
Galley Standard (ILO C188): Provisions of Annex III on food preparation and storage for fishing vessel crews.
Gangion: Branch line on a longline carrying a single baited hook, also called a snood.
GAP Analysis (Cape Town Agreement): National assessment comparing existing fishing vessel regulations against the agreement's requirements.
Gear Marking: Marking gear to identify ownership and reduce ghost fishing.
General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM): RFMO established by Agreement under FAO Article XIV in 1949, headquartered in Rome.
Geographical Sub-Area (GFCM): Statistical and management units of the GFCM covering the Mediterranean and Black Sea.
Ghost Fishing: Continued capture of marine animals by lost or abandoned gear.
Gill Net: Vertical panel of netting set in water to entangle fish by the gills.
Gillnetter: Vessel rigged with net hauler and reel to deploy and retrieve gillnets.
Global Record of Fishing Vessels: FAO project to establish a comprehensive global record of fishing, refrigerated transport, and supply vessels with unique vessel identifiers.
Global Tuna Alliance: Industry coalition supporting science based tuna management aligned with RFMO measures.
Gloria Trawl: Large pelagic trawl design used on Russian, Faroese, and Norwegian midwater vessels for blue whiting and mackerel.
GMDSS (Fishing Vessel): Global Maritime Distress and Safety System applicable to fishing vessels of 300 gross tonnage and above under SOLAS Chapter IV and to smaller vessels under the Cape Town Agreement.
Gonad Index (Fisheries): Reproductive condition metric used in stock assessment.
GPS (Fishing Vessel): Satellite positioning required for VMS and electronic logbook reporting.
Grand Banks: Atlantic fishing grounds off Newfoundland, central to cod history.
Greenland Halibut: Reinhardtius hippoglossoides, harvested by trawl and longline fleets and managed under NAFO and NEAFC.
Ground Rope: Lower rope of a trawl mouth, fitted with appropriate ground gear for bottom type.
Group Quota: Allocation held collectively by a cooperative or pool of vessels.