Fisheries scientists make sure that fish populations ("fisheries") are managed properly, neither over- or under-utilized, to maintain long-term economic and ecological stability. Scientists collect data and conduct surveys to determine fish populations, and then make recommendations about how many fish may be caught by commercial and recreational fishermen. In the lab presented in this article, students tackle this type of applied science by becoming fisheries scientists who must collect, analyze, and interpret fish population data. They then make informed conclusions about the populations they have surveyed and analyzed to provide information needed for managers to make decisions about how to keep these populations healthy