Catch n release

Comparing C/R in the rivers and ocean is completely different in terms of mortality.
Trying to justify feeding played springs to the seals ain’t cool....
Should be once you have your limit stop fishing....just like when you kill your hatchery steelhead!

Interesting topic for sure. Most of my fishing trips I quit fishing once I have retained a limit because that is my choice and I always have a million other things to do on land lol. I however occasionally have switched tactics completely and done some "test' fishing for a while after a limit has been reached. Absolutely nothing illegal or unethical as long as I fish, handle and release in a way that gives the fish the best possible chance to survive. I choose to limit my time doing that as well. BTW Catch and release is also done to gather DNA samples which help our fishery (despite not a 100% survival for releasing). For those insisting a released fish must stay in the water lol, ....well that is not realistic in these cases as the fish has to be removed from the water for ease of DNA sampling.

All opinions respected ( if legal of course ). One question I have to those that feel it is unethical to continue to fish C&R after their limit has been retained:
... is there any difference in your opinion for the fishers who enjoy to fish catch and release all the time and have no interest in keeping any fish at all (with the exception of keeping an occasional bleeder ) ?
Just trying to determine if the issue some have is with the continuing to fish after keeping a legal limit or whether they have a similar or equal issue with catch and release fishing in general ?

I look at it this way - It is completely legal to catch and release all day so I have no issue with it. What I'd like to see is that they learn proper release and handling techniques and also limit their time doing it. If there is non stop undersized fish present, move. Its legal also to keep a limit and then switch to C&R afterwards so I don't have a problem with it as long as good techniques are learned as pointed out above
 
I think decisions around the ethics of catch and release are highly personal. I have spent a bit of time reading the post release mortality literature and it seems pretty clear that the biggest issue is hooking injury. This is not to say that other aspects of handling don't matter, but if a fish is bleeding it will die, and a proportion of fish hooked on any gear will be bleeders. Personally, needing to release a mortally hooked fish ruins my day, in the rare cases when fishing is good enough, I will therefore only keep fishing if there is at least one spot open in the bag limit for a bleeder. Sometimes I have also self imposed wild fish release when winter spring fishing is good enough.

Respect your choice for sure but I would just point out that it is my understanding from research and awareness on the water that a lip bleeder (from hook) still actually does have a good chance of survival. We all have also seen huge open gashes in fish that have healed scars. I agree though that a bleeding/ damaged gill is a 'toe tag' and releases with dry hands or touching gills (see it all the time on fishing shows) and large scale loss are not good.
 
Respect your choice for sure but I would just point out that it is my understanding from research and awareness on the water that a lip bleeder (from hook) still actually does have a good chance of survival. We all have also seen huge open gashes in fish that have healed scars. I agree though that a bleeding/ damaged gill is a 'toe tag' and releases with dry hands or touching gills (see it all the time on fishing shows) and large scale loss are not good.

Yes, I totally agree, a little bit of blood from a lip is not an issue. It is hooks in the gill or back of the tongue (where the gill rakers come together) that are fatal. It's just like us.. if the wound is small enough and in a low enough pressure blood vessel to clot and stop the bleeding the fish has a good chance, but there is no one there to apply pressure if the bleeding is not going to stop by itself!
 
****** though when there is a thread like this explaining proper release, and you still get anglers who net the fish, bring it in the boat just to get a hero pic and then release it after it' been in the boat. Basically killing an 18-20lb spring just to get a hero pic and then post it.
Sweet....you guys are great....
This pic was deleted with the comment how do I know it was released. I know the fish was released because the caption of the picture says it was released. Pretty sure the wild slot regulation of 67cm requires it to be released.

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The risk of harm to fish from C&R doesn't change based on the number of fish already in the boat. If C&R'ing fish, some of them just are not going to survive the release. That's the reality here.

Hook a small fish that can't pop the downrigger, drag it around for half an hour before a line check; the fish is essentially dead. Hook a wild coho in an area with no wild coho retention, you can't keep it, know it's going to die, so it floats away on it's side gasping for its last breath. Does having zero, one, two, three, or even fifty fish on the deck change any of that? No.

Take this slot limit; one over 67 one under, but minimum 62cm. So you get a 62-66cm then C&R 62-66cm fish until a 67+cm fish comes along? Once it does, you can no longer C&R anymore? Because you might hurt those fish? But all the fish before that 67+ came along we're okay? That doesn't make any sense.

This is more about coveting another man's fish than it is about 'ethics.' Don't try fool yourselves in to some kind of moral high ground here.

^^^^ Very good explanation, precisely. If those that feel C&R is unethical after bonking a limit ....and those people that feel all C&R is unethical whether you have bonked or not, then I suppose the above situation would also be considered unethical as well. Actually I am starting feel all fishing is quite unethical and should be stopped ;-)
 
You guys have way too much time on your hands!

I can see it now DFO reading this thread asking the question maybe your right maybe C and R does harm. Therefore slot restrictions won't work in times of low abundance and fishing must close. I would caution you guys be careful what you talk about, and push for. We don't want more restrictions on top of what we have. Sounds like your making a mountain out of molehill just saying. I know lots of guys that don't retain fish. They just fish to enjoy.

BTW putting a pic up R.Chamberland as an example in photo is poor choice.

Moving forward people better get used to doing a lot more catch and release and not killing everything in sight. Have zero problem with C and R and if guy goes all day long as long is practicing safe releases.
 
We all should have a choice to decide what works for us unless and until it starts impacting others, which can easily be said about fishing, hunting, environment, etc. ie. Some guy gets off by burning tires in his backyard all day, great. Except for the fact that his neighbours have to breathe that **** in all day and get lung cancer. Unfortunately with 7B billion on the planet these days more of our actions have consequences for others

Very well said

"We are in a new age where people feel its there duty to make people fall in line with there beliefs be it fishing, hunting, environment, relationships....... We all have a choice to do the things we love, enjoy, or believe in and we all should have a choice to decide if it works for us without others forcing there morals or ethics on others."
 
You guys have way too much time on your hands!

I can see it now DFO reading this thread asking the question maybe your right maybe C and R does harm. Therefore slot restrictions won't work in times of low abundance and fishing must close. I would caution you guys be careful what you talk about, and push for. We don't want more restrictions on top of what we have. Sounds like your making a mountain out of molehill just saying. I know lots of guys that don't retain fish. They just fish to enjoy.

BTW putting a pic up R.Chamberland as an example in photo is poor choice.

Moving forward people better get used to doing a lot more catch and release and not killing everything in sight. Have zero problem with C and R and if guy goes all day long as long is practicing safe releases.
You are dreaming if you think DFO is reading this or any other thread on this forum. We are the minority and don't make nearly enough noise to make any impact. At least we will be able to "pleasure cruise" in our fishing boats
 
saw a bragging post on fb feed about how ethical the guide is being with a beauty catch and release.... holding it up in the air for the hero shot, grrrrrrr ....
i am tempted to ask if he netted it too, or just tired it right out to tail it.. he did mention it swam away.
 
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