Recreational fishing affects millions of freshwater fish annually, raising welfare questions about capture, handling, and release.
The welfare implications of recreational fishing have gained increasing scientific and ethical attention. Fish experience physiological stress from capture — elevated cortisol, lactic acid buildup, and tissue damage from hooks. Handling practices significantly affect outcomes for released fish: prolonged air exposure, hard surfaces, and squeezing all increase injury and post-release mortality. Best practices for catch-and-release — barbless hooks, wet hands, minimal air exposure, proper revival in current — can substantially reduce welfare impact. For fish kept for consumption, rapid dispatch reduces suffering compared to live retention in buckets or stringers.