Resources and Apps for Fish Identification

Every day people go out in boats for a day of diving, swimming, snorkeling, and fishing. No matter what recreational activity someone undertakes on the water at some point the creatures that live in the water are going to make an appearance. Different species of fish live in different types of climates and different types of water. The fish that swim in the cold waters of the Northern Atlantic aren't the same species of fish that call the Gulf of Mexico home. Being able to identify fish is important for many reasons. Anglers don't want to accidentally catch and harvest protected species of fish. Snorkelers and divers need to know what fish pose a danger to them. Luckily, it's easier than ever to identify any fish that swims by!

• What's That Fish: Fish Identification Made Easy: Upload a picture of an identified fish and the website will search its archives and match the picture to one it's previously identified.

• Picture Fish - Fish Identifier: Picture Fish uses artificial intelligence to identify any fish uploaded into the app. It covers both salt and freshwater fish.

• FishVerify: ID & Regulations: Not only does that app identify fish, but it also tells the user what regulations govern the fish. It's perfect for those who enjoy fishing but don't want to take accidentally harvest a regulated fish.

• Fish ID Guide App: The Smithsonian developed this app that helps identify fish that live in the Eastern part of the Pacific Ocean.

• Fishes: Greater Caribbean: The Smithsonian also released this app, which is aimed at helping divers identify the fish they swim with in the Caribbean.

• Reef Life: Almost 2,500 fish are cataloged in this app.

• Fish Identification: Find Class: Knowing what class a fish is in helps identify the species.

• Fish Identification Quiz: Identifying a fish requires knowing all the different parts that make a fish. For example, dorsal fins differ from class to class and are a great way to visually identify a fish.

• California Finfish and Shellfish Identification Book: The book is divided into downloadable sections that include sections on swamp-dwelling crayfish and rockfish.

• Fish Identification: The Georgia Department of Natural Resources released this guide to fish found in the state's waterways.

• Freshwater Fish Identification: The freshwater fish of the northeastern section of the United States are listed here for identification purposes.

• Fishes in the Fresh Waters of Florida Gallery: More than two hundred freshwater fish found around the state of Florida are cataloged in this photographic gallery.

• Fish Identification: The fish of the Great Lakes can be identified using this website.

• Sport Fish of Ohio Identification (PDF): Ohioans who love to fish should download this field guide and put copies in their boats.

• Explore Fish Species: Sort this interactive guide by region of the country, type of water, and even how easy it is to catch the various species.

• New Hampshire Fish Survey Map: Boats should go where the fish are, and this map of New Hampshire makes it easy to find the best fishing spots in the state.

• 5 Reasons Why Fish Identification is Important: Divers rank the ability to identify fish as one of the most important skills divers can develop.

• Fish Families: Saltwater families of fish can be identified using this guide.

• Find A Species: NOAA Fisheries manages 474 different types of fishing stocks.

• The University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program's Hanauma Bay Education Program: Fish Identification Card Fish Identification Card (PDF): Visiting Hawaii? Print off these fish identification cards so any fish that swim by in the tropical paradise can be identified.

• Fish Identification Gallery: Various types of salmon are some of the fish that make their home in King County, Washington.

• Fish Identification: Fish are organized alphabetically, but also searchable by family.

• Common Rockfish and Associated Species of the North Pacific: Rockfish are a common type of fish found swimming in the colder waters of the North Pacific.

• Maryland Fish Identification (PDF): The fish found along the coast and in the waterways of Maryland are identifiable with this guide.

• Saltwater Species of Texas: Individual downloadable guides covering species like red snapper and shrimp are available in PDF format.

• Guide to the Fishes of South Dakota (PDF): More than 100 different fish species make their home in South Dakota.

• Fish Species by Location: California is a big state and various fish species live in different regions.

• Fishes of New York (PDF): 165 freshwater fish live in New York State. Some of them are so old they swam alongside the dinosaurs!

• Yellowstone Native Fish Species: The fish in this guide are native to Yellowstone National Park.

• Sportfish: The favorite fish of anglers in West Virginia are indexed in this guide.