In 1981 a law was passed in regard to fishery conservation areas (LOFO), to simplify the management of fishing waters with complicated ownership patterns. The owners of fishing rights within a given area belong to the local fishery conservation association. The association promotes the interests of the owners and has a certain amount of authority in its capacity of running fishery conservation and permitting fishing within the area. There are now some 2000 official fishery conservation areas. There are several hundred thousand fishing rights owners in Sweden. Most of these own private properties.

Fishing rights are an economic resource.
As are forests and agricultural land, fishing rights are a resource and a means of production for properties.
Fishing used to be an important part of household self sufficiency. As from the middle of the twentieth century the importance of fishing diminished as the structure of the rural areas changed.

Now, the importance of fishing is picking up again as a basis for a growing tourism business. In many places fishing rights are regaining their importance as a means of production for properties. Combined with accomodation and other services, fishing rights are an expanding source of income for properties and property owners.
The development of fishing rights as an economic resource is subject to political, economic, biological and legal questions of
various kinds.