Wildlife Welfare

Freshwater Fish Welfare in Angling

Angling is one of the most participated in field sports, with fish welfare during catch-and-release practices receiving increasing scientific and regulatory attention.

Key Facts

Catch-and-release angling returns millions of fish annually but causes measurable stress
Air exposure during handling causes physiological stress and gill damage in fish
Barbless hooks reduce injury and hooking depth significantly compared to barbed hooks
Lactic acid build-up from fighting requires recovery time before fish can be safely released
Some fish require minutes to hours to fully recover from capture stress

Welfare Considerations

Fish experience stress and potential injury during capture and handling. Best practice catch-and-release techniques including minimising air exposure, using wet hands, and allowing full recovery before release significantly reduce the welfare costs of angling.

What You Can Do

Use barbless hooks and minimise air exposure time when practising catch-and-release
Support angling organisations that promote and teach welfare-aware handling techniques
Advocate for mandatory best practice guidelines in angling licences and club rules