Diligent Catch and Release practices including exceptional fish handling and good catch, photo, release practices.
SAFE Angling Practice #1:
Good catch and release ethics and practices ensure that fish are released back into their watery environment healthy and strong. The benefits are not only to the fish, but to the anglers as well, giving others a chance to catch these same fish again.
Fish released healthy, strong and unharmed are able to spawn and reproduce, passing on their genes, creating a more exciting and vibrant fishery for anglers.
Exceptional fish handling techniques and practices, such as reduced time the fish is out of the water and water releases, handling fish with wet hands, not lifting or picking up the fish by the eyes, reviving fatigued or stressed fish, minimizing fight time, etc., can vastly reduce post-release and post-hooking, delayed mortality.