Most recreational fishers adhere to the catch and release method of fishing. Catch and release is what the phrase sounds like: catch a fish and then release it back into where it was caught instead of taking the fish away. This method of fishing is done by choice and its done to abide by laws. Some fish species must be released if caught because they are protected species. Also, there are size requirements with some species of fish: if a caught fish is under or over a certain length, depending on the law, the fish must be released. Fish are presumed to be released physically unharmed and have the ability to survive if they are caught and released properly (Arlinghaus, et al., 2007). There are guidelines that fishers can follow to while doing catch and release to decrease fish mortality: “(1) minimise angling duration, (2) minimise air exposure, (3) avoid angling during extremes in water temperature, (4) use barbless hooks and artificial lures/flies, and (5) refrain from angling fish during the reproductive period” (Cooke and Suski, 2005).
Although, think what it would be like to be caught by a hook, net, or trap, and then to be handled, measured, while not being able to breathe, and thrown back into home. This is what it’s like to be a fish victimized by recreational fishing. Yes, the fish may not be significantly harmed physically, but what about psychologically? “Fish that are released after being caught may be subjected to additional factors that influence their welfare, such as elevated stress, barotrauma, suppressed feeding and growth, impaired reproductive function, increased potential for disease, infection, and delayed mortality” (Davie and Kopf, 2006). Fish welfare effects are often overlooked in catch and release fishing. Even with these guidelines in place, the experience that a fish goes through when caught is still going to be traumatizing no matter how many guidelines are followed.
Some say that it’s unethical to release a fish once it has been caught. Dr. James Henshall wrote a famous book, called ‘Book of Black Bass,’ on Black Bass fishing in 1904 and shared his view on releasing fish in capital letters: ‘ALWAYS KILL YOUR FISH AS SOON AS TAKEN FROM THE WATER; AND EVER BE SATISFIED WITH A MODERATE CREEL’ (Henshall, 1904, p. 444). He noticed that a fish suffers when caught and thought that a fish should be put out of its misery. Also, when he says ‘moderate creel’ that means that one should not take home a lot of fish and there should be limits on how much fish can be caught. There is still much more research to be done on fish welfare when fishing, but one should recognize that there is to some degree of stress that a fish goes through.
127 our experts are availableright now
This calls attention to the human and fish relationship and “how much and what kind of human impact on natural fish populations is tolerable?” (Arlinghaus, Cooke, Schwab, and Cowx, 2007). Also, why do humans fish for the sake of leisure at the expense of a fish’s well-being? Recreational fishers claim that fishing is a way to connect and feel immersed in nature. A recreational fisher typically does not wish to harm a fish, but rather to appreciate and connect with them. In 1849, Henry David Thoreau wrote a book called, “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers” and it’s about his experience while on a canoeing trip with his brother. While on the Concord River, they came across a dam and Thoreau noticed that the dam was obstructing the path of Shad fish, which puts the fish at risk.
He wished to take a crowbar to the dam and let the fishes swim free (Thoreau, 1980, p. 37). With relevance to fish welfare, he posed the question: “Who hears the fishes when they cry?” (Thoreau, 1980, p.37). He saw firsthand the negative human-fish relationship on the rise of industrialization, but also saw a couple different fisherman who had a more connected relationship with the fish of the rivers. On page 25 of this book he talks about an old fishermen who had been fishing in the same river for years with his son: “His fishing was not a sport, nor solely a means of subsistence, but a sort of solemn sacrament and withdrawal from the world, just as the aged read their bibles” (Thoreau, 1980). A lot of recreational fishers of today would attest to the same way of appreciation for fishing. Recreational fishing can be a way of life for some people, but with declining water quality and fish populations, there will be more restrictions against fishing.
