ABSTRACT
There is evidence that fishing has been important throughout human history in providing part of the food supply for human groups and societies in a big variety of situations. Fish was part of the diet among some of the earliest cultures known in archaeology: it was utilised by peoples at subsistence level in virtually all parts of the world throughout history and prehistory; it was often an important component in the food supply among urbanised peoples, such as those in Egypt and China; and in the modern industrial age it still contributes an essential part of human diets, although its importance varies widely in different communities and in different parts of the world.
