The Social-ecological system framework proposed by Ostrom is a new theoretical tool to analyse the sustainability of common pool resources. Based on the summary of international research on fisheries management under SES framework, this paper identifies the scale and object and then reviews the application process from 5 aspects: the identification of variables, the interaction of variables, the identification of system outcomes, the design of adaptive fishery management and the implementation and intendance of adaptive fishery management. Existing literature has provided a complete research process from the development of updated theoretic framework to the exploration of adaptive management practice, but there are still several problems, such as variable identification, mathematical reasoning and research scale development. However, the study of SES framework in fisheries management is very important for China's fisheries management theory research and fishery management system reform.