Releasing fish with Baratrauma
 

Cant understand with so much emphasis on releasing big tog here and in many surrounding states . A deep drop depending device isn’t required on every boat .
Many states have done tagging and radio studies proving it’s extremely effective .

Instead of letting a fish lay on their side in a fish box , or in a net .
Seems using a descent release would get those big fish back with a better survival rate .

https://seaqualizer.com/product/seaq...ending-device/

Same with deeper caught sea bass every spring . Even Nj has done study’s showing at least venting a sea bass allows them to get down instead of floating on the top .
Takes only a second to vent a fish to hopefully allow it to recover to be caught another day .
I have seen days fishing for sea bass among boats with hundreds of short sea bass floating away .
IMO that’s just total disrespect of that fishery .
And if a boat can’t do what’s right for the fishery they shouldn’t be fishing for them .

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Re: Releasing fish with Baratrauma
 

Some great info here

https://returnemright.org/

Re: Releasing fish with Baratrauma
 

Brilliant!

Re: Releasing fish with Baratrauma
 

Dan I couldn't agree more with your post. And typically sticking what is essentially a gaff size hook in a fishes head won't promote survival. The regulations absolutely suck forcing recs to waste the resource but there's also a responsibility we have to protect the resource in spite of the regulations and the absolute carnage caused by commercial operations.

This off course is my opinion, hope I'm allowed to voice it here. If not, anyone is welcomed to pm me and we can further discuss.

Re: Releasing fish with Baratrauma
 

Before the device I posted was available boats in Alaska did use a weight with a large hook as the descent device for rockfish not being kept , especially yellow eyes .
They claimed the survival rate was extremely high from tagging studies .

I talked here to the person from FG that did sea bass study’s here .
He said survival rate venting sea bass was extremely high .

So why not require its use on any fish being released .

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Re: Releasing fish with Baratrauma
 

Dan in my opinion it's no different than mandatory use of circle hooks. If devices promote survival, mandate them. I'm sure they're less expensive than the cost associated with not using them and protects trophy fish which deserve better than being stuffed with crab meat. I've been on many of those offshore sea bass trips and the waste is off the charts. If we're no different than the commercial sector with discard mortality rates especially in the winter with deep drop fisheries, we lose our right to complain about what's happening to one fishery after another.

Re: Releasing fish with Baratrauma
 

Re: Releasing fish with Baratrauma
 

Dan I've seen it used, as Gerry said it's brilliant but only if used. Party and private boats should be mandated to have them on board. It benefits the fishery, their livelihoods and recreational interests. Every fish killed represents hundreds of thousands if not millions of eggs potentially taken out of circulation.

Re: Releasing fish with Baratrauma
 

While I feel these sorts of devices are beneficial, not sure I agree if it should be mandated since the last thing we need is more mandates. I do however think it would be appropriate to educate people that these devices are available and encourage their use.

Re: Releasing fish with Baratrauma
 

I disagree , go out to the deep water reef in the spring and watch how many short floaters you see out there because guys are LAZY.

Oh it’s too much work for a head boat , which are the first ones to bitch there isn’t anything to fish for .

Add up the losses everyday for the spring season , it probably exceeds the number of fish kept .


Already states mandating these devices are used for many years already , no reason for NJ to not join those PROTECTING their fisheries . Instead of being more concerned with an inconvenience.

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