Catch-and-release angling raises important welfare questions about fish pain and stress, with best practice guidelines able to substantially reduce harm.
Fish welfare in catch-and-release angling is a significant concern given growing evidence for fish sentience. The stress response to capture includes acute cortisol elevation lasting hours post-release, lactic acid accumulation causing metabolic acidosis, and tissue trauma from hook injuries. Warm water temperatures during summer angling compound physiological stress — high temperatures reduce dissolved oxygen and impair metabolic recovery. Welfare-improving practices include: using barbless hooks, minimising fight time by using appropriate tackle, never removing fish from water, using wet hands or rubberised mesh landing nets, and supporting fish in the water until fully recovered before release. Predatory fish welfare — the welfare of baitfish and livebaiting — is a further consideration that welfare-conscious anglers should address.