To use a simple barbless hook or hook-like device, insert it into the fish’s lower lip, descend it on a weighted line to depth, and release the fish with a sharp jerk on the line. Use the device that works best for you and your vessel’s set-up. This is where you, the angler, can help – a variety of tools are available to return rockfish safely to depth. These descending devices, which range from a simple inverted barbless hook to a pressure-activated clamp that opens automatically at depth, give anglers the ability to return weak or buoyant rockfish to deeper waters, reversing many of the signs of barotrauma and increasing the likelihood of that fish’s survival.ĭescending devices (also called recompression devices or release devices) come in a few varieties and are available at many tackle shops or online, or you can make one from a Fish Grip™. Have you ever tried venting a fish? Or perhaps you prefer one of the other methods? We’d love to hear your thoughts so please go ahead and comment below.A fish at the surface is highly vulnerable to further injury and predation. To eliminate the problem entirely, we also recommend (once you’ve caught what you need for a feed) moving to shallower water if wanting to continue with catch and release. There is no need to puncture the organs protruding from the fish (stomach and intestines) as these will return to their usual size within 2-3 hours after venting the swim bladder, behind the dorsal fin as shown in the videos. Obviously not all fish need to be vented, and if the need arises, it’s best to do so as quickly as possible to reduce further harm. We haven’t used any of them so we cannot recommend, however here are some of the ones we found: In Florida, venting was compulsory until 2014, so there are a number of devices available, called venting tools. They are called a “bone marrow aspiration needle” for those that want to google further. He was given the tool by a medical practitioner many years ago although we have managed to find a similar tool, the T-handle Jamshidi, however at this point the supplier does not sell to the general public. In our previous post on impoundment barra techniques, Ryan mentioned using a bone marrow remover for venting fish and demonstrates the technique in the video below We have never tried a release cage and while watching the Fisheries Qld video, looks like it may be a calm water only proposition. Once stabilized, the fish can swim out of the cage. The cage is weighted and pushes the fish to the bottom. Release CageĪ release cage is a bottomless wire cage placed over the floating fish. In Western Australia it is mandatory in the West Coast Bio region to carry a release weight on board when fishing for demersal species.Ī release weight consists of a lead weight attached to a barbless hook to assist the fish return back to the bottom.Ī few jigs on the weight and the hook will bounce out of the fish releasing it at depth. This video by Queensland Fisheries explains all three It does however depend on the fish species (some are more susceptible than others) and the depth they are caught.įor example, fingermark suffer severe and fatal barotrauma if caught in waters greater than 10 metres in depth. You can view the effects of barotrauma on fingermark in this video by NT Govt. There are three primary ways to arrest the symptoms of barotrauma and give the fish a good chance of survival. Obviously this defeats the purpose of fishery management laws such as minimum size limits and daily catch restrictions. If not corrected, the fish can die from a number of causes damage to the internal organs, easy target for predators, floating and exposure to the elements. In severe cases the pressure can push the stomach into the fishes mouth, cause the intestines to protrude from the anus and even rupture the swim bladder. When fish are brought to the surface quickly from depth, gas in the swim bladder can expand and not have time to vent naturally, resulting in a bloated appearance and preventing fish from returning to a comfortable depth. With the popularity of catch and release fishing, questions are often raised about the best way to release fish with barotrauma.
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