Mortality Rates

The mortality rate from recreational angling will probably become a hot topic over the next few months - I came across this today which concerns itself with recreational impacts

A key missing piece in the puzzle was information on how many fish died after they were released by anglers. Lacking key data such as length and weight of released cod resulted in the assumption that 100 percent of those fish died. Missing data can lead to underestimating the population size, with overly strict regulations, said Michael Palmer, National Marine Fisheries Service research fishery biologist.

Courtesy of the Cape Cod Times http://capecodtimes.com/article/20151221/NEWS/151229933

Commonality across species - in C+R

From the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust www.bonefishtarpontrust.org


'..........but a recent study by several research authorities sheds additional light on the subject.

What was found to be the number one culprit contributing to bonefish angling mortality? Air exposure. Leave a gray ghost out of water for only a minute and its heart becomes starved of oxygen. Force yourself to remove the hook, grab a quick photo and release the fish without exposing it to air for more than a few seconds.

Speaking of the importance of time, work a bonefish to the boat without unduly prolonging the stress on the fish. Using tackle that’s too light for your quarry will over-tire it and lessen sufficient recovery. A dragged-out fight also ups the odds of a shark or barracuda taking advantage of the situation; if you see a predator, horse your bonefish to the boat quickly and release it after ensuring your own safety and letting it fully revive.

Study results don’t reveal undue physical damage to the mouth and gills upon hook-setting, which means circle hooks aren’t needed for this species. Bonefish possess hard crushing plates on the roof of their mouth and tongue, making hooking injuries less likely. Even so, barbless hooks remain a good idea because they make for easier removal.

A common question is whether there’s an advantage in using mechanical lip-gripping tools. A recent study we performed reveals that these tools can actually cause significant injury to the lower jaw of bonefish and therefore impair feeding. It’s better to wet your hands to hold a fish or ideally use a pair of pliers or a hemostat to remove the hook.

With these study results in mind, take extra care when playing and releasing this amazing species and encourage your friends to do likewise. After all, you’re the first line of defense when it comes to the conservation of bonefish populations.'

i'm on a first name basis with a fish here in Wexford. The fish has a unique tail structure caused by god knows what - seal, cormorant perhaps. Since 2009 I have caught and released the fish four times - twice in the same year - 2012, once 2009, and once this October. A customer caught the fish in 2010.

Overexposure is definitely the main factor we need to eliminate in C+R

Small hooks do alot of damage especially if the fish is deep hooked. Not many survive a deep hooking in the throat. Bait fishing is the main culprit here as lure angling almost always lip hooks or in the scissors

What happened to salars contribution here?