Book excerpt: This landmark publication collates information and studies on the use of estuaries, and specific habitats within them, as nursery, feeding and refuge areas, and migration routes of marine and other fish, many of which are of commercial and conservation importance. The editors and authors of the book have carefully compiled a huge wealth of information from the work of 18 organizations across 11 countries, providing a unique collection of data never before brought together within the covers of one book. Chapters within this exceptional publication cover habitat use by fishes, recruitment and production in estuaries, links between fish and other trophic levels, endangered and rare species, estuarine development and restoration, environmental quality of estuaries and the management of estuarine fishes. The book notably contains extensive chapters on field methods and data analysis. Fishes in Estuaries is an essential tool and reference source for fisheries and environmental managers, fish biologists, environmental scientists, aquatic ecologists and conservation biologists. Libraries in all universities and research establishments where biological sciences are studied and taught should have copies of this book on their shelves, as should personnel employed in regulatory and consultant capacities, such as within rivers authorities, environment agencies and fish and wildlife departments. Comprehensive coverage of commercially exploited species. Internationally known and respected contributors. Multi-contributor approach providing very detailed coverage. Estuaries are a vitally important ecosystem.