There is considerable concern that increases in marine sounds may be negatively impacting marine organisms. While most of the concern in the literature and in the press revolves around marine mammals, it is important to recall that the bulk of the marine vertebrate biota is made up of numerous fish species, and that many fishes are important in the food chains of marine mammals and humans. Moreover, since fishes use sound to learn about their environment and for communication, changes in ambient noise may have a significant impact on behavior and physiology of fishes, and thus on organisms higher in the food chain. Though there is a call to increase our knowledge of the impact of anthropogenic sounds on marine mammals, there have been few parallel studies looking at fishes (or on invertebrates and marine reptiles). This paper will review the little that is known about the impact of sound on fish behavior and physiology, and discuss the usefulness of these data in evaluating the impact of anthropogenic sounds on marine fishes. In addition, the paper will suggest a number of studies that are needed in order to have a better understanding of the impacts of anthropogenic sounds on fishes.