Risk Assessment of Catch and Release

• Main Authors: Olsen, Rolf Erik, Næsje, Tor Fredrik, Poppe, Trygve, Sneddon, Lynne, Webb, John
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: WBI Studies Repository 2010
• Subjects: Catch and release; anadromous salmonids; Atlantic salmon; Arctic char; sea trout; fish welfare; Agribusiness; Animal Studies; Aquaculture and Fisheries; Arctic
• Online Access: https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/aqufis/4; https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=aqufis

The report was produced during most of 2009, and gives a state of art overview of current knowledge on the effects of catch and release practices on these fish species’ welfare, using accessible and peer reviewed published literature as basis for the assessment. Anecdotic and non-published reports have been used to a limited extent as they are regarded as untested or containing unverified statements. The Panel on Animal Health and Welfare discussed the full report in a meeting on the 9th of December, and gave its support to the conclusions drawn by the ad hoc-group. The report has concentrated on the literature on the aforementioned three species. Transfer of knowledge from other species has only been undertaken to a limited extent as general physiology and responsiveness to stress and handling, may or do, differ significantly among species and may lead to erroneous conclusions. The report gives a brief overview of the history of catch and release, the three species’ general biology, and current population status in Norwegian rivers. An introductory section describing current knowledge on pain sensation, fear and stress responses has also been added for reader’s information. The main body of the report has been designed to give an outline of current knowledge associated with each of the questions asked by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, leading up to an answer. The summary responses are as precise as possible. The subjects cover the factors that may affect fish welfare during capture and handling, and the report also includes a section on criteria for humane killing. The effects of various designs of hook and bait types is discussed. The recovery process following release is also discussed, including sections on wound infections, mortality rate, impact on reproductive fitness, predation risk and likelihood of recapture. If catch and release is to be introduced, then the final chapter summarises some possible ways to ameliorate the effects on welfare. The reader will notice that while there is extensive ...