Aquatic Animals

Wild Fish and Catch and Release Angling

Catch-and-release angling is controversial from a welfare perspective, with evidence that fish experience pain and stress during capture and handling.

Key Facts

Catch-and-release is widely practiced in game fishing for salmon and trout
Hooking causes injury and elevated stress hormones in caught fish
Exhaustion from the fight reduces the chance of successful recovery
Welfare is improved by using barbless hooks, wet hands, and minimising air exposure
Some fish die hours after release even if they appear to swim away normally

Welfare Considerations

Catch-and-release fishing causes measurable pain and stress during hooking and fighting, with delayed mortality a real outcome even for apparently recovered fish. Best practice including barbless hooks, minimal fight time, handling in water, and no air exposure reduces but does not eliminate welfare harm. Anglers committed to minimising harm should prioritise rapid release and avoid catch-and-release in high water temperatures when recovery is compromised.

What You Can Do

Use barbless or barbless-equivalent hooks for catch-and-release fishing
Minimise fight time and never exhaust fish completely
Handle fish with wet hands and avoid removing from water
Never take photographs that require removing fish from water for extended periods
Avoid catch-and-release when water temperature exceeds 20 degrees Celsius