Article - A Guide To Catch & Release Angling

Catch and release angling methods are an increasingly popular practice among many anglers. It is becoming very common for fishers with a strong conservation commitment to release fish that they are legally entitled to keep. In this modern era of fishing with highly evolved & technologically advanced equipment as well as the precision based species targeting tactics it is more appropriate than ever to justify catch & release methods for every angler who wishes to see fisheries survive beyond this lifetime. It is expected in the year 2011 that Australian recreational anglers will spend over a billion dollars on fishing tackle, equipment and related items such as boats.

Many anglers are realising through innovative & informative education programs that compliance with bag, size limits and various fishing closures also means that by law, fish they have caught must be returned to the water. Government agencies are doing more now than just enforcing the regulations, which is commendable. Better patrol tactics & public reporting services have also ensured that those who disregard & disobey the regulations are made accountable for the offences committed.

As a direct result of bag limits, legal sizes as well as catch & release angling, between 35% and 52% of Australia's total recreational catch is returned to the water each year. Thats more than 48.4 million fish being caught and released annually. According to various government researchers in different states & territories.

Research has shown that most fish survive using current catch and release techniques with the main factors found to reduce survival being deep hooking and poor handling. So lets look at exactly what you can do to ensure that the fish you want to release survives in the long term.

Be prepared before you hook up and reduce air exposure. Have the camera, measuring device, gloves, long nosed pliers & net close handy for the moment. Fish are designed to be in the water, so for every minute a fish is out of water you are effectively reducing its chances of survival. Time out of water is absolutely critical when it comes to the survival chances of any fish. Imagine if you could not breath for 2 or more minutes, just like fish some of us would not survive. The key point here is - if you are aiming to catch & release a fish then your chief goal is to ensure the fish survives.

Crimp the barbs on your hooks, barb-less hooks do less damage when they are removed from the fish and greatly reduce the time taken to release the fish. If a fish is deeply hooked then it is best to simply cut the line as close as practical to its mouth, the hook will break down naturally. It is ideal to unhook any fish whilst it is still in the water.

Ensure that the measuring device is cool & wet, hot & dry surfaces are dangerous to fish. It can result in the fish getting burned, which may cause death sometime after it has been released.

Ensure the net has a smooth knot-less texture which will not damage the fish by pulling scales off or damaging fins. A fishes eyes generally protrude from its head, they often have no external protection so they can be subject to permanent injury or blindness if handled without extreme care. A fish has fins as its method of propulsion, extreme care should be taken to avoid any damage to them.

Wear gloves, make sure they are clean, cool & wet. Dry hands may cause damage to fish skin, as does sunscreen, insect repellant, oil, grease & etc. Freshwater species like Golden Perch for example have a slime coating over the scales which if removed can cause the fish to suffer from fungal infections which can result in death. Saltwater species such as Golden Trevally & Tuna also require care to ensure that the skin is not damaged, where by an un-natural death may occur after release.

Once you have achieved the hook up dont play the fish needlessly, get it to the boat as quickly as possible. The longer a fish fights for its life, the greater the chance of it winding up dead at your feet. By using the correct species specific tackle for the intended target fish will be a valuable aid in reducing post release mortality. In saying that it is sometimes unavoidable in hooking bigger species on light tackle.

When lifting a fish from the water ensure that you are supporting its entire weight ( especially with big fish like cod, barra & etc. ). Think of a fish in three sections - head, body & tail. Head & tail require minimal support 33% whilst the body requires lets say 66% of the support. Fish are easily damaged if incorrectly handled, the big mistake is jamming a lip grip type implement in its mouth and lifting the fish from the water without correctly supporting its entire body weight. Small fish like bass, bream, perch & grunter need to be handled the same way as big fish, gently & carefully. Cod and barramundi for example at the larger end of the size scale really should not be lifted from the water without extra care & attention to the critical details. Any fish should not have its entire body weight carried by one point, for example its mouth. Research has proven that fish can be killed or permanently injured by jaw slinging, tuna poling or any other method whereby a fish's entire weight is supported solely by its mouth region.

Ensure that the live well is functioning correctly. Stagnant water with low dissolved oxygen levels will result in fish mortality at some stage prior to release. Live wells which are not sufficiently insulated will also cause death due to extreme variations in water temperatures. Regular water exchange is vital to keep the right balance between the live well and the waterway. Give the fish plenty of space inside the live well. Professional aquaculturists who transport live fish to the point of sale, often will exceed the water volume required for the bio-mass of fish to ensure that survival & good health is achieved.

When returning the fish to the water, do it gently and give the fish time to acclimatize & gather its bearings. Some fish may require a you to manually swim them for a short distance, the aim here is too get water moving through the gills and get it breathing properly again. When the fish is ready it will take off.

The over all mentality of an angler is the major defining factor in catch & release angling - where there is a will, there is a way. At the end of the day it is very important to remember that you are dealing with a living breathing creature and your duty of care is to act humanely in every instance. Its a given fact that not every fish intended for release after capture is going to survive, if the fish meets the relevant fisheries regulations or legislation then there would be nothing wrong with keeping it for consumption provided it is prepared correctly. Above all else enjoy fishing for what it is, Australia's most loved national past time. Please remember "don’t destroy what you have come to enjoy".