Catch and Release - 10 Ways to Ensure You Help Conserve Fish Stocks

By Ian Ford

Catch and Release Policies are gaining favour in the angling community. It is a great way to aid the preservation of fish stocks for future generations.

Here are 10 tips to ensure that the fish you release have a good chance of survival.

1. Ensure that the hooks you use will come out cleanly. Use barbless hooks, or regular hooks with the barb pinched closed. If you play the fish correctly should not find this a big handicap.
2. Use only fishing techniques that are likely to result in the hook being set in the jaw. You should be able to feel bites, and should strike before the hook is swallowed down deep.
3. Landing a fish can be tiring for you. It is far more tiring and stressful for the fish. The battle can leave the fish in a weakened state, so don't make the battle longer than it need be. Use sufficiently strong tackle to be able bring the fish in quickly.
4. Landing nets can cause damage to the fish. Use one only where the damage resulting from non-use is likely to be greater. For instance, in shallow, stony water. You can consider a fish landed once it is close enough to release, so begin doing so whilst fish are still in the water.
5. Use a hook remover. These apply a twisting motion to remove hooks in the line of least resistance. Take care how you hold the fish if it is necessary to do so.
6. If you want to get a photo of you and the fish do o quickly and carefully. Be prepared; the camera should be ready before you lift the fish out of the water. Hold the fish horizontally (its normally position) and with wet hands so as not to damage the protective layer of slime that coats the skin and scales.
7. Keep fish off the ground and away from any surfaces that can damage that slime. Dry clothing is particularly bad news.
8. Never hold fish upside-down by the tail. This puts considerable stress on the internal organs which are already suffering with the body unsupported by water.
9. Never carry the fish with a hand inside the gills. This may be convenient for dead fish, but will quickly kill a live one.
10. Release fish with care. Hold the fish facing upstream into flowing water, if possible, until it has had time to recover enough strength to swim off on its own.

Protecting fish stocks makes sense.

The angling community is a thriving one. Knowledge has traditionally been passed freely and willingly, and long may it continue to be so.

New issues face us from time to time, and one of the current ones is to achieve a good balance between conservation and sport. To my mind it is better that we, the angling community, takes steps to protect the target of our sport before this is imposed on us by outsiders with less understanding.

Please do your bit to ensure that we cannot be accused of reckless acts. Enjoy catching your fish, and then release those you don't intend to eat.

Ian has lived and travelled extensively in Asia over the last seven years. He has been a passionate fisherman from school-days and is now combining the two fields by offering exciting and affordable fishing holidays abroad for individuals and groups.

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