Friday, December 21, 2007 12:28 AM CST
COLUMN: Keep that fish — or else release it immediately
By DAVE SHADOW, Hunting and Fishing Columnist
In past seasons I have had the privilege to attend some meetings where concerns and ideas for governing the size and limit regulations for our various lakes were discussed to great length. As it is with most controversial issues, there were myriad theories and ideas as to just what was the right way to accomplish this in a way that is good for both the fishery and anglers alike.
I have procrastinated on writing this article for several reasons, none of them very good. It just seemed like a hard article to put together in a way that was informative for our area fishermen and short enough to fit into these spaces. In the end I resorted to “phoning a friend,” just like on the TV show. That friend and astute authority is our Illinois Department of Natural Resources District 11 Fisheries Manager, Mike Mounce.
I judge Mike a friend of mine since he has indicated those tendencies on several occasions when I made some erroneous comment while at a meeting or among a crowd. He would wait until the time was right and the crowd was smaller to point out the error in my thinking. Since Mike has pretty well made his life goals the understanding of aquatic life, its improvement and preservation, I’m trusting his judgment over those of us who just think we know everything.
The subject of this interview with Mike Mounce was to investigate the legalities and good conservation practices relative to the culling of fish for the recreational angler and the tournament angler. I wanted to also consider the effects of holding fish in our live wells before releasing them back into the waters from which they came. The following are “The Facts” as provided by Mike Mounce.
Culling is the replacement of a fish held in possession (in a live well, bucket, wire basket or on a stringer) with a larger fish. Due to the wide publicity of tournament fishing, where culling is legal, many anglers do not realize that culling their catch is illegal in Illinois for recreational or “non-tournament” anglers. In Illinois, only in a bona fide fishing tournament, where a constantly running live well is being used, is culling legal.
The reason culling is illegal for recreational anglers is because there is a significantly greater incidence of mortality of the released fish. Recent research by the Illinois Natural History Survey, simulating conditions in live wells, indicates that environmental conditions in a live well are often much worse than previously assumed, which negatively affects the potential survival of fish released. Fish held in buckets, in wire baskets or on stringers have an even lower chance of surviving. Therefore, any fish held in possession for any period of time, even if released alive, is considered part of the legal daily limit by Illinois law.
Unfortunately, fishermen are often unaware of the fate of fish held and then later released. If alive when released, the fish may swim away and the fisherman assume that the fish will survive. However, often the fish suffers delayed mortality, which may happen hours, days or even weeks after being released. When fish are handled carefully and released immediately, their chance of survival is very high. However, when subjected to additional handling, poor water quality, bumping other kept fish or the side of the container in which they are being held, or extended periods of struggling (on a stringer) their chances of surviving are significantly reduced.
For the sake of better fishing quality, sportsmanship and the resource, anglers need to make an immediate choice about the fate of a fish they catch. The choice is not just a legal issue but an ethical one as well. The choices are simple: Do they keep the fish for eating or do they release the fish for future angling enjoyment by themselves, their family, friends or others? Keeping a fish, then later releasing it for any reason, will result in an unlikely chance of catching the fish again for anyone and is a waste of a valuable resource.
Handling the fish carefully and immediately releasing it properly limits stress and any possible physical damage to a fish. Most people and any angler knows that fish are slimy. This slime layer is a protective coating that shields the fish from bacteria and fungal infections. Additional handling of fish results in the protective slime layer being scraped away, subjecting the fish to infection and the additional stress of fighting the infection. The slime layer may be jeopardized by abrasion from bumping other fish or on the sides of any container in which they are held. Fish kept on stringers will rub against each other, the lake bottom, rocks, sticks, or other objects, which results in the loss of the protective slime layer.
In addition, fish held for any length of time will be subjected to stress, which can be measured by looking at certain chemicals — cortisol and glucose — in the blood. Unless conditions are perfect in a live well, bucket or wire fish basket, the stress of kept fish increases. Just as in humans and other animals, stress can result in illness or death, often delayed. Any continuation of struggling, such as on a stringer or crowded live well, will result in an increase of lactic acid, which will also reduce a fish’s chance of survival. High levels of lactic acid may also affect the flavor of the fish as well. Fish designated for consumption should not be held on stringers for more than short periods of time.
This information should not be considered as a criticism of keeping fish for eating. Fish are a renewable natural resource and an important source of protein, and their value to anglers encourages the protection of aquatic environments. The value of fish to anglers and people for food and recreation not only encourages the protection of aquatic environments but of their watersheds as well. This information should be used as a guide on the legal and ethical handling of fish that will be released.
The future of angling is dependent upon the quality of fish populations. Handling fish properly will contribute to the quality of fishing. Keeping a fish, then replacing it with a larger fish (culling), results in additional handling, abrasion and death, resulting in a reduction of fishing quality for everyone. The temptation of replacing a fish with a larger fish to be kept and eaten can be great, but there is a significant cost. Anglers can be an active partner in improving fishing quality on their favorite waters by making the decision to keep or immediately release a fish and then sticking with that decision.
I hope this is helpful to everyone and just might eliminate an encounter with one of our conservation officers while fishing our area lakes.
It’s faith, family and fishin’.
Dave Shadow is the Journal Gazette/Times-Courier’s hunting and fishing columnist.
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