Rockfish are long-lived deepwater fish subject to severe barotrauma when brought to the surface, raising important welfare questions for both commercial fisheries and recreational catch-and-release.
Rockfish welfare is severely compromised by barotrauma, which causes internal injury, pain, and often death. Even fish that appear to recover at the surface frequently die from injuries. For recreational fishers, descender device use is a practical, low-cost intervention that dramatically reduces mortality. For commercial fisheries, reducing rockfish bycatch through gear modification and depth restrictions protects both welfare and populations. The extreme longevity of many rockfish species means individual deaths represent a disproportionately large biological and welfare cost.