Keep Fish Wet: Has the time come?

Keep Fish Wet:

Has the time come?

Has the time come for us to up our catch and release game and reduce our fishing pressure on our salmon that are close to spawning?

By TARQUIN MILLINGTON-DRAKE with SASCHA CLARK DANYLCHUK of KEEP FISH WET

We Britons should be proud of the way we embraced catch and release. In 1998, under the anagram name, Charles Teace, with the support of the Field Magazine, I declared publicly that we all had to embrace catch and release because it was part of the solution. I invited all fishing organisations and influencers of a type in those days, to support my statement. Hundreds did so and the article in the Field swelled to a list that was five pages long.

Trout and Salmon Magazine did not agree and made me raise £13,000 to run the same educational piece in their magazine which I did. Of the many that I invited to sign up, some wrote to me to say that while they supported my effort, for their river, it was too late, they had no salmon left. I guess that in 2023 the numbers of those whose rivers are now dead has grown substantially and I know that the river where I caught my first salmon is hanging on by a tiny thread.

HITTING ROCK BOTTOM

Fishing abroad made the process that much easier for us because we had to do it, but I said it was part of the solution (and maybe it did slow the decline) but we all know now that no amount of catch and release can overcome the destruction by salmon farms and the huge growth in predator numbers and pollution.

But… now that we are at rock bottom with our salmon, and many other wild fish that we love to catch at home and abroad, perhaps the time has come to renew our efforts and up our game. The stakes were high back in the late 1990’s but they are far higher now. It is time to improve our practices!

“Putting it in my own words may reduce the importance of their words”

Let me explain but in so doing, for the most part I am using the wise words of the excellent organisation Keep Fish Wet. This is a science-based organisation which helps anglers create better outcomes for each fish they release. Most of the content below is used with the explicit permission of Keep Fish Wet. Why did I not paraphrase, 1) because they are the experts, and 2) what the fishing community needs is a consistent and persistent message, so putting it in my own words may reduce the importance of their words.

PHYSIOLOGICAL DISTURBANCE

From the second they are hooked, to the moment of release, fish experience some level of injury and stress (in scientific terms: physiological disturbance) during fishing.

Even if a fish vigorously swims away when you release it, impacts associated with catch-and-release can cause negative consequences such as diminished ability to avoid predators, reduced reproductive success, and mortality due to increased susceptibility to disease.

There are some rivers where the wisdom of catching the few fish that remain must be questioned but elsewhere, fishing and fishers bring great benefits to local areas including massive conservation efforts to their local rivers and in these cases, we need to set about mitigating the impact as much as possible which we can do.

MINIMIZE AIR EXPOSURE

Just like humans, fish need oxygen to support essential bodily functions and keep them alive. What is different is that fish get their oxygen from the water (it is dissolved), not the air. Fish respiration (“breathing”) involves moving water into their mouth and over their gills, whether by pumping it or when swimming with their mouths open.

Also, like humans, fish need to respire more during and after exercise, including when they are fighting on the end of a fishing line, as well as after they are landed. Maximizing the ability for fish to get oxygen when they are recovering from the stress of angling is essential for a speedy recovery. Holding a fish out of the water prevents recovery and can lead to death if done for too long. Even short durations of air exposure (as little as 10-20 seconds for some species) can harm fish. You can reduce negative impacts by keeping a fish’s mouth and gills fully submerged in water as much as possible. It’s simple - #keepfishwet

ELIMINATE CONTACT WITH DRY SURFACES

Fish have a layer of protective mucus (slime) and scales that protects them from disease. Contact with dry, hard, or rough surfaces (such as hands, rocks, sand, and boat bottoms) can remove slime and scales making fish more susceptible to diseases, especially fungal infections. Keeping fish in or over the water, and holding them with clean, wet hands or a soft rubber net will help keep their slime layer and scales intact and the fish disease free.

REDUCE HANDLING TIME

Fish are wild animals and handling is stressful for them, whether they are in your hands or in a net. Most fish that are brought to hand are still amped up based on the release of glucose to fuel their ‘fight or flight’ response to being caught. It can take hours for a fish to physiologically return to normal once it is released. The longer you handle a fish, the more stressful it is for them, which compounds the stress associated with capture. Don’t confuse seeing a fish ‘swim away just fine’ as a sign that it has completely recovered. If you are not going to take a photo of your catch, consider releasing the fish without touching or netting them. Run your hand down the line and remove the hook – something made even easier if the hook is barbless.

TMD Note: Do not tolerate being told that your fish needs to be netted or come to hand to be counted in the statistics. Those days are over and there are far greater issues at stake. Stand up to peer pressure that your fish did not count because you did not beach it, pull harder and ping it off if you can so that it is not beached on purpose. If that does not sit well with you and you feel you would prefer to stop fishing, stop.

FOLLOW LOCAL REGULATIONS

In some places and for some species, it is illegal to remove fish from the water. Examples of this include wild steelhead, salmon, and bull trout in Washington State, and Atlantic tarpon over 40” in Florida. Likewise, some areas require barbless or circle hooks. Be aware of regulations and any waterbody-specific variations.

BE WARY OF WARM WATER

Be extra careful of how you handle fish when water temperatures heat up. The metabolism of fish is directly linked to water temperature and this, along with the exercise of angling, can make fish more vulnerable to the effects of catch-and-release. (Check out Finsights for more details on water temperature and fish).

USE BARBLESS HOOKS

Crimp the barbs on hooks. Not only do barbless hooks cause less damage to a fish’s mouth, but they are also much easier and quicker to remove - especially helpful when one ends up in your ear or finger!

This not only applies to single hooks, but also treble hooks. (See this Finsights for more details on the science)

USE RUBBER NETS

Rubber nets are less abrasive and do less damage to fish slime, scales, fins, and gills than knotted nylon mesh nets. Plus, hooks don’t snag as much on rubber nets, which can help reduce time in captivity. (See this Finsights for more on the science)

LIMIT USE OF LIP GRIPPERS

Lip gripping devices should only be used on fish that you have no other way to control or handle, including toothy fish. Also, fish should never be held vertically by a lip gripping device (See Finsights for more details on lip grippers).

CARRY HOOK REMOVAL DEVICES OR CUT THE LINE

Carry easily accessible pliers or other hook removal tools, which will enable quick and careful hook removal. If the hooks are barbless, there is a good chance that a hook removal tool can help with release even without taking the fish out of the water. If a fish is deeply hooked, cut the line instead of trying to remove the hook.

LIMIT FIGHT TIME

Once hooked, a fish is essentially vigorously exercising when fighting on the end of your line. By landing a fish quickly and without over-playing it to exhaustion, you can reduce the physiological and muscular stress the fish incurs. To help with this, match your tackle to the targeted species and the conditions.

HOLD FISH IN OR OVER WATER

Fish are slippery creatures and can easily be dropped. When holding a fish, keep it in or slightly above the water - not over boats or land.

GRIP FISH CAREFULLY

Fish have sensitive internal organs, so hold them, better still cradle them, gently without squeezing or bending. Avoid placing your hand over their mouth and gills since this obstructs breathing. If a fish is bigger than your hand, use both hands to hold it. With larger fish, grip the base of the tail with “A-OK” finger formation and gently support the body close to the pelvic fins. Keep very large fish in the water – for their safety and yours.

PHOTOGRAPH WET FISH

Try photographing your fish while it is in the water. This shows the fish in its element and ensures that it can breathe. If you do quickly lift the fish for a photo, keep it as close to the water as possible.

Also, let the photographer call the shots – 1, 2, 3…raise the fish... and get your shot. Keep air exposure to 5 seconds or less.

ONLY REVIVE FISH THAT CANNOT SWIM

A fish will do better recovering in its natural habitat unless it cannot swim away on its own. If a fish has lost equilibrium – the coordinated movements of its fins that allow it to remain upright and swim – it will need reviving before you let it go. Reviving a fish can be done in moving water by submerging the fish and holding its head facing into the current so that the water flows in the mouth and over the gills. In still water situations, move the fish gently to stimulate this effect. The exception is fish like tuna, billfish, and some sharks that are ram ventilators (i.e., need to swim with their mouths open to move water across their gills) and do need reviving. Keep them boat side and have the captain move the boat slowly forward to help facilitate their recovery. (See this Finsights for more info on reviving fish - and why you likely don’t need to do it).

THINK TWICE BEFORE GOING AFTER SPAWNING FISH

Fishing for fish that are on route to spawning grounds or are in the act spawning can disrupt a critical part of their life cycle and impact future generations. In some cases, fish are especially vulnerable to capture when they are aggregating to spawn or are especially aggressive as they defend nests and territories. Depending on the species of fish you are after and their spawning habits, you might want to forego fishing for them during their spawning season.

For more information about the best practices or to support Keep Fish Wet, visit www.keepfishwet.org

“You can reduce negative impacts by keeping a fish’s mouth and gills fully submerged in water as much as possible”

TMD Note: Rather like catch and release in 1998, I think we must turn another corner while things are as dire as they are. I know this may impact estate incomes as well as personal but maybe those losing income from guest fishers not coming during almost spawning time can be used for other good purposes on and around the river. I believe the time has come for our seasons to close earlier and that the days of badgering gravid hens and territorial cocks should ease back a little. It cannot be good for our rivers, and it too must be part of the solution to what is now a much more grave problem. If we do not, those relying on the wild salmon for the income may have no income at all.So, please, when it comes to grip and grin time – fish in or hovering above the water please, and let’s do all we can to treat our wild fish at home and abroad with the greatest respect we can.