Recreational angling affects millions of fish annually, and the growing evidence of fish sentience raises important welfare questions about catch-and-release practices and angling methods.
Fish sentience research now provides substantial evidence that fish experience pain and stress during angling. Hook penetration causes tissue damage; the fight on a line causes exhaustion and metabolic acidosis; air exposure and handling cause hypoxia and osmotic stress. For catch-and-release anglers, welfare-conscious practices can substantially reduce harm: using barbless hooks, keeping fish in water during unhooking, minimizing air exposure, avoiding the use of nets with rough mesh that remove protective mucus, and releasing fish in calm water. Welfare-centered angling does not require stopping the practice, but it does require taking fish pain seriously and adjusting practices accordingly.