Fish can swim in fresh or saltwater. There are over 32,000 species of these water-breathing creatures. Fish inhale by extracting the oxygen the water contains and then cycling the extra water through their gills. Fish eat by sucking water into their mouth and eventually pulling in some small prey also, then the excess water comes out their gills. This paper will be divided into three sections: sharks and whales, deep-sea fish, and fishing. 

Even though most shark species have great eyes, ears, and noses actually sense their prey by sending electrical waves through the water, having it bounce off the prey, then returning back to the shark. They have row after row of replaceable teeth. In order for them to breathe, most species have to continue swimming, never taking a break, but some can breathe by sitting at the bottom of the ocean floor and continuously sucking water into their mouths. There are many different types of sharks, but none of them enjoy eating humans. Mostly, a shark will only consume a person if it smells like their prey or if the shark is starving. At 40 feet long and weighing in around 50,000 pounds or 25 tons, the Whale Shark is the largest fish in the world. Whale Sharks also have a lifespan of about 70 years. The Killer Whale (Orca) is the largest member of the Dolphin Family. They can be found in almost every ocean, excluding some very Northern waters. Orcas won’t normally attack humans in the wild, but in captivity they can become aggressive. Sperm Whales are huge whales which are found in every ocean on the planet. The book “Moby Dick” is the story of a Sperm Whale attacking a ship. Sperm Whales raise their babies for 10 years before releasing them. 

Lurking in the depths of the ocean, deep-sea fish are mysterious and often strange creatures. Barreleyes are fish that have transparent faces and eat small arthropods. This frightening fragile-looking freak is also nicknamed the “Spook Fish” and resides in almost tropical waters in the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans. Angler fish have extremely long, sharp teeth that are so massive they can’t even close their mouth completely. Anglers also have a slender stick growing out of their head called an Illcium that attracts prey and sometimes produces light. The Giant Squid is a 46-foot-long monster that no one knew even existed until the 1970s. They move by sucking in water, then squeezing it out, propelling themselves through the water.   

Fishing can be either for sport or for selling them for people to eat. Fishermen use a myriad of methods to catch fish including Trawling which is the use of a net to catch large quantities of fish. Another method is Spearing which is swimming under the water and sticking as many fish as you can with a spear. Trapping is the use of traps and is typically used for crabs. Angling is done with a fishing rod and is most common in sport fishing. Longlining is the use of one long line with thousands of hooks on it. Trolling is similar, but is multiple lines spread out behind a boat. Tuna is normally caught by fishermen and eaten around the world. Tuna can be 15 feet long and weigh 1,500 pounds. Shrimp are tiny creatures caught in large quantities using the Trawling method. Some fish are caught as delicacies and are specific to one country. 

Sharks, whales, and deep sea fish all live in saltwater, but other types can be found in freshwater areas like a lake or river. Fish are delicious, cool, and fascinating creatures!