Tips to Release Fish Safely Back into the Aquatic Environment

Photo credit: Corpus Christi Caller Times

• For safety for you and the fish, mash down the barb of your hooks with pliers before you go fishing.

• Quickly catch, and then release fish as soon as possible.

• Before handling fish, wet hands to help avoid removing their protective slime.

• Take photos quickly, remember the longer the fish is out of water, the more stressed out it gets.

• Remove the hook from the fish with pliers or cut the line if the hook has been swallowed.

• Gently place fish back into water, taking care not to bump it against the ground or your boat.

• If the fish appears sluggish or dazed, gently try to revive the fish by holding it upright in the water and moving it back and forth, slowly forcing water through its gills.

• If you don’t intend to eat a fish, do not put it on a stringer.

* * *

Texas Aquatic Science is a cooperative education project sponsored by Texas Parks and Wildlife, The Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University. Additional project support came from the Ewing Halsell Foundation and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Sport Fish Restoration Program. Rudolph Rosen, Ph.D. wrote and edited the Texas Aquatic Science textbook. Videos were produced by Randall Maxwell. Sandra Johnson, Ph.D. served as educational consultant and authored the accompanying Teacher’s Guide.