Catch and Release:
It’s Our Responsibility
~ Warren van Tonder
60 SERIOUSFUN@JFFC SEPT 2018
To quote a legend of our sport and a pioneer of catch and release practices, “Gamefish are too valuable to be caught only once” – Lee Wulff. As global populations continue to explode, the underlying message of these words cannot be over emphasized. As responsible anglers committed to conserving our beloved fisheries, we have a duty to handle the fish we catch with the utmost care and respect. Contrary to what most anglers believe, simply releasing a fish back into the watery realm from which it was plucked, doesn’t guarantee its survival.
Effective catch and release practices go far beyond the simple actions that its name suggests. With the end goal of releasing fish in a condition that ensures it has the greatest chances of survival, we need to understand the effects of catching and handling fish. Proper catch and release practices acknowledge the different stresses we place on fish and aim to minimize these stresses by using proven techniques and equipment when catching, handling and releasing fish.
This article aims to provide insight into the accepted best practices for effective catch and release and serves as a guideline to ensure that anglers release the fish we catch in the best possible condition. Breaking down the process of catch and release in sequence, the flow diagram below summarizes a typical recreational catch and release event. Starting with your personal mindset and knowledge of Catch & Release (C&R) practices, this article breaks down each step in this flow diagram into techniques, tips and considerations to ensure that the process goes full circle and that the fish are ultimately released in a condition that will allow them to potentially be caught again in the future and still contribute offspring to the population.