Hooking mortality of two species of shallow-water reef fish caught by recreational angling methods
B. K. Diggles and I. Ernst
Abstract
The hooking mortality of two teleosts, the yellow stripey
Lutjanus carponotatus (Lutjanidae), and the wire netting
cod Epinephelus quoyanus (Serranidae), was examined for
fish captured with lures and bait from shallow waters (<2 m) on the Great
Barrier Reef. Total mortality for both species (n = 340 fish) over the
48-h observation period was low (1.76%). Baitfishing with single hooks
caused a significantly higher post-release mortality rate (5.1%) than
did lure fishing with treble or single hooks (0.4%), and was the
hooking method most likely to cause bleeding and damage to vital organs. Death
of fish was observed only in instances where hooks penetrated the pericardium
or body cavity. Handling time was significantly affected by fish size and
hooking location, did not vary significantly between fish species, and was
significantly reduced when barbless hooks were used in both lure and
baitfishing. One specimen of each species, deeply hooked in the gut or
oesophagus while baitfishing, was allowed to retain the hook; both fish
survived and subsequently regurgitated the hook during the observation period.
The relevance of these data to management of line fisheries on the Great
Barrier Reef is discussed.
Marine and Freshwater Research 48(6) 479 - 483 (1997) doi:10.1071/MF96108





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