Certification Practice Exam Questions

Certified Fisheries Professional (CFP) Certification Practice Exam Questions And Correct Answers (Verified Answers) Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant Download Pdf

1. The main goal of fisheries management is to:

• Maximize fish harvest for short-term profit
• Ensure sustainable use of fishery resources
• Promote only recreational fishing
• Limit fishing to government organizations

Rationale: Sustainable management balances ecological, economic,

and social factors to ensure long-term productivity of fishery resources.

• Which of the following is a density-dependent factor affecting fish

populations?

• Temperature 1 / 4

• Flooding
• Predation
• Drought

Rationale: Predation depends on population density—more prey

means more predator activity.

3. The term “recruitment” in fisheries biology refers to:

• The number of eggs spawned
• The number of larvae surviving to adulthood
• The number of fish reaching a catchable or reproductive age
• The migration of fish to spawning grounds

Rationale: Recruitment measures how many young fish survive to

join the fishable or breeding population.

4. A fish population that grows according to the logistic model will:

• Increase exponentially forever
• Level off at carrying capacity
• Decline as soon as resources are limited
• Oscillate unpredictably

Rationale: Logistic growth describes population increase slowing and

stabilizing at the ecosystem’s carrying capacity.

• Which sampling gear is most effective for estimating fish abundance in

deep ocean waters?

• Seine net
• Electrofishing 2 / 4

• Cast net
• Trawl net

Rationale: Trawl nets are designed for deep-sea or pelagic fisheries

to sample large areas.

6. The primary purpose of fish tagging studies is to:

• Identify species
• Increase fish growth
• Estimate movement, growth, and population size
• Improve catch efficiency

Rationale: Tagging helps researchers study fish migration, survival,

and population parameters.

7. The primary global organization overseeing fisheries statistics is:

A. NOAA

B. IUCN

C. FAO

D. UNESCO

Rationale: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) compiles

and publishes global fisheries and aquaculture data.

8. The maximum sustainable yield (MSY) represents:

• The greatest number of fish harvested per season
• The largest catch that can be taken indefinitely without depleting

the stock

• The highest short-term profit from fishing 3 / 4

• The total biomass of fish in an area

Rationale: MSY balances harvest and renewal, ensuring long-term

sustainability of stocks.

• Which parameter is most commonly used to measure fish growth?
• Respiration rate
• Spawning frequency
• Length-weight relationship
• Fecundity

Rationale: The length-weight relationship helps infer growth

patterns and condition of fish.

10. The “fishery stock” refers to:

• The entire oceanic fish population
• A distinct population of fish managed as a unit
• Fish held in hatcheries
• All fish species in a region

Rationale: A stock is a self-reproducing population managed

separately for conservation and harvest purposes.

• What type of fish passage structure allows migration upstream

of dams?

• Weirs
• Fish ladders
• Screens
• Spillways
• / 4