Atlantic Canada and northern New England have a great diversity of fishes providing both food and sport. Their waters are home to more than 600 kinds of fished, of which 70 are of sporting, culinary, or bait-fish interest. Brian W. Coad provides a convenient and comprehensive guide to these fishes.

The main part of the book explains in detail how to identify the various species. Elsewhere Coard discusses fish habits and distribution, structure and biology, some principles of oceanography, and the impact of pollution on fish. He explains common angling methods and knot tying, and explores aspects of the commercial fishery and fish farming. He describes taxidermy and other techniques of recording the catch, as well as buying, storing, and preparing fish for food -- even how to make caviar.

A summary of sources useful to anglers contains information on books and periodicals, licences and regulations, travel and maps, tides, charts, and weather reports, boats and deep-sea fishing, and scuba diving and snorkelling. A glossary of terms, a bilingual Canadian fishing lexicon, metric conversions, and an index help make this book indispensable to all sport fishers throughout the east coast of Canada and the northern United States.