The fisheries of Gloucester lay at the heart of the 19th century New England fishing industry. The city's ports are filled with rugged individuals prepared for the difficult tasks ahead. Gather the crew, board the schooners, cast your nets, and catch loads of fish as you sail toward victory.

The two-player game Fisheries of Gloucester lasts six "days" (rounds). On each day, players have a designated number of hours to spend to perform various actions, such as charting the course, sailing your boats, and catching fish. Each player has a fleet of three boats that can be advanced by first "charting a course" (laying down an ocean tile, which have various polynomial shapes). With courses set, players can move their boats along the course, racing against other boats to find the prime fishing spots.

Players earn points by catching different varieties of fish and by finishing the game on one of the islands in the ocean.