Freshwater fish including trout, salmon, pike, and perch are widely angled in the UK, raising important welfare questions about catch-and-release practices and fishing methods.
Catch-and-release fishing causes welfare harms that best practice can minimise but not eliminate. The welfare-appropriate approach acknowledges that fish experience pain and stress during capture and handling, and minimises duration and severity of that experience. Barbless hooks, wet hands for handling, minimal air exposure, and prompt release in oxygenated water represent current best practice. Keepnet use for extended periods is difficult to justify from a welfare perspective and should be avoided. Anglers who engage thoughtfully with fish welfare evidence make better welfare decisions without necessarily giving up their sport.