Something fishy: how long does your catch live off the hook?

NSW Fisheries has released preliminary results from a Sydney-based fishing research project.

The results, from the Botany Bay Catch and Release Research Challenge, looked at the rate of survival for different fish, caught and released by anglers.

The early results show that more than 75% of the fish caught and released during the study, on the weekend of 14-15 February this year, survived.

More than 200 recreational fishers, on 95 boats, participated in the massive recreational fishing study on Botany Bay, to help us learn more about the impact of recreational fishing on fish stocks.

This is the first in a series of experiments to assess the survival rates of fish that are caught and released.

Overall, 351 fish were caught, and classified according to how they were captured - with bait or lure - and according to what type of bait was used.

Early results indicate that survival rates vary considerably between species. For example:
97.8% of trevally survived;
72.3% of bream survived; and
68.8 % of snapper survived.

The $430,000 project two-year project is jointly funded by the Recreational Saltwater Trust ($299,000) and NSW Fisheries.

People are very keen to know how they can catch and release fish while ensuring the recreational fishing industry is as sustainable as possible.

Catch-and-release fishing is an important way of conserving our precious fish resources.

NSW Fisheries scientists are now conducting more detailed research on the results of this study.

One in three people who live in NSW are recreational fishers, pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into the economy each year. This research is part of the Government's on-going efforts to ensure the sustainability of recreational fishing.

FISH-FRIENDLY PRACTICES:

  • Bring the fish in quickly - a long fight stresses a fish and it is more likely to die.
  • Cut the line rather than removing hooks from gut or gills.
  • Use barbless hooks - unhooking is easier if you flatten barbs on hooks, or use single hooks on lures.
  • Avoid lifting the fish from the water.
  • Wet your hands if you must lift the fish from the water.
  • If you put the fish down to take the hook out, put it on a smooth, wet surface, or a piece of vinyl-covered foam. Fish skin is easily injured.
  • Don't use a net to pick the fish up, unless it is of knotless mesh. Knotted polypropylene landing nets damage a fish's skin and eyes.
  • Upon release, help a fish regain equilibrium, by holding it upright in the water and moving it to and fro for a while.