Glossary of Fishery Terms - G

G

• Gametes - eggs and sperm.

• Gene flow - The movement of genes from one population to another by individuals moving between the populations.

• Ghost nets - fishing nets and other gear that has been left or lost in the ocean and continues to capture and kill fish.

• Gillnet - fishing nets constructed so that fish are entangled or enmeshed, usually in the gills, by the netting. According to their design, ballasting and buoyancy, these nets can be used to fish on the surface, in midwater or on the bottom. The mesh size of the net determines the size of fish caught, since smaller fish can swim through the mesh. See also drift net.

• Global positioning system - a device which uses satellite signals to accurately determine a fishing vessel's position and course.

• Global warming - the increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans in recent decades, as well as the projected continuation of this trend.

• Groundfish - fish that lives most of its life on or near the sea bottom, such as cod, haddock, or flounder.

• Gulf - a large area of water bordered by land on three sides.