fishing ground: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal/Technical
Quick answer
What does “fishing ground” mean?
A sea area rich in fish, suitable for fishing.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A sea area rich in fish, suitable for fishing.
Any situation, location, or group offering rich opportunities for harvesting, discovery, or profit.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major lexical differences; both use 'fishing ground'. UK usage may slightly favour 'fisheries' or 'fishing grounds' in plural for formal contexts.
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in UK English due to greater historical maritime discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “fishing ground” in a Sentence
The [ADJ] fishing groundto fish in/on a/the fishing groundto locate/identify a fishing groundVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “fishing ground” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The trawlers are fishing the grounds off Scotland.
- They have been fishing these grounds for generations.
American English
- The fleet is fishing the grounds near Alaska.
- We fished the grounds all season.
adverb
British English
- The boats were spread fishing-ground wide.
- (Rarely used as adverb)
American English
- They searched fishing-ground by fishing-ground.
- (Rarely used as adverb)
adjective
British English
- The fishing-ground survey was completed.
- They discussed fishing-ground management.
American English
- The fishing-ground data is confidential.
- A fishing-ground map was provided.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to a lucrative market segment or source of talent/clients.
Academic
Used in marine biology, geography, and environmental studies.
Everyday
Used by anglers and in travel contexts about good fishing spots.
Technical
Precise term in fisheries management and oceanography.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “fishing ground”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “fishing ground”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “fishing ground”
- Using 'fishing ground' as a countable noun without 'a' or 'the' (e.g., 'We found fishing ground').
- Confusing with 'playground'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a two-word open compound noun, like 'bus stop'. Hyphenation (fishing-ground) is rare and usually only used attributively before a noun.
Typically, it refers to marine or sea areas. For rivers or lakes, terms like 'fishing spot', 'fishing hole', or simply 'good fishing area' are more common.
A 'fishery' often implies the entire industry, business, or regulated activity in an area, including people, boats, and regulations. A 'fishing ground' is specifically the geographical location where fish are caught.
Yes, the plural 'fishing grounds' is very common, referring to multiple such areas.
A sea area rich in fish, suitable for fishing.
Fishing ground is usually formal/technical in register.
Fishing ground: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfɪʃɪŋ ɡraʊnd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfɪʃɪŋ ɡraʊnd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to be a rich fishing ground for (something)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'ground' as land under the sea where fish are 'planted' and harvested.
Conceptual Metaphor
A RESOURCE-RICH LOCATION IS A FERTILE GROUND.
Practice
Quiz
'Fishing ground' used metaphorically most accurately means: