INTRODUCTION
Is it a keeper? This is a question anglers must
answer each time they bring a hooked fish to withinreach. If it is a keeper, the angler’s top priority is toput it in the bag. However, if the fish cannot belegally kept or is too small to eat, how does theangler unhook and release it with a good chance tosurvive, grow, reproduce, and perhaps be caught
again? This leaflet presents some techniques thatwill allow the angler to improve the chances ofsurvival for released fish.
But first, why are there size and bag limit
regulations which require the release of fish eventhough some of them might die in the process? The
primary objective of these laws is to maintainpopulations of selected fishes at levels sufficient tosustain fisheries. To accomplish this objective, weapply our knowledge of the fish life histories todevelop regulations which will insure that enoughfish reach maturity to maintain reproductive
capability in the population. The most common
regulations which do this are bag limits, size limits,and season closures. These require anglers toreturn all fish that cannot be legally kept. Someanglers believe they should be able to keep fish thatare likely to die and only release healthy ones. Fishand Game law requires anglers to return illegal deadand dying fish because if such fish were allowed in
the bag, there would be no incentive to release fishin a healthy condition; they would all be considered“dead”. Also, a dead fish is still dinner for someother sea creature and not truly “wasted”.
A conservation-minded angler moves awayfrom schools of small fish so that hooking andreleasing are minimized, and strives to avoid
injuries to fish which are thrown back. Remember,not only is it unethical to waste fish, it is alsoillegal.

TO INCREASE THE
CHANCES OF A RELEASEDFISH SURVIVING, ANGLERSSHOULD USE THE
FOLLOWING PROCEDURES:
1. Do not use a gaff hook to landfish of questionable size.
Not only is it unethical to seriously injure a fishthat you might wind up having to release, it isillegal. Section 28.65(e) of Title 14, California
Code of Regulations, states:“No gaff hook shall be used to take or assist inlanding any fish shorter than the minimum sizelimit. For the purpose of this section a gaff hook is
any hook with or without a handle used to assist inlanding fish or to take fish in such a manner that thefish does not take the hook voluntarily in its mouth.
No person shall take fin fish from any boat or otherfloating device in ocean waters without having alanding net in possession or available for immediate
use to assist in landing undersized fish of species
having minimum size limits; the opening of any
such landing net shall be not less than eighteen
inches in diameter.”

2. Use a “fish friendly” landing net
Small mesh, knotless landing nets made of a
non-abrasive material are recommended. Nets withlarge mesh can split the caudal (tail) fin rays ofsome species, such as halibut, which can lead toinfection. Knotless, non-abrasive nets also reduceslime and scale loss, which will help the fish to
survive after release.

3. Don’t let the fish hit the deck.
A fish flopping around on the nonskid surface ofmost boats is losing scales, mucus, and skin which
protect it from infection. Keep the fish suspended
from the rod or in a net until it can be released.

4. Handle fish with a wet rag.
If you have to hold on to the fish to unhook it,
use a rag dipped into the bait tank or bucket of sea
water. Make sure your hands are wet as well. Thefish will be much less likely to lose scales andmucus. You may also save yourself from a painful
wound when a spiny fish struggles to get away.
Keep the wet rag draped over the rail. It won’t
blow away and is handy for keeping your hands
clean.

5. Measure the fish as soon as possible.
Obviously short fish should be released at therail immediately. All questionable fish should bemeasured as soon as possible, so have yourmeasuring device handy. You can easily turn yourfishing rod into a measuring device by putting abaseline mark on your rod at eye level (rodwrapping thread is best). Wrap similar marks atintervals toward the base of the rod corresponding
to the legal lengths of fish in your area such as 12
inches for kelp and barred sand bass, 22 inches for
California halibut, 24 inches for lingcod and 28
inches for California barracuda and white seabass.
When you catch a fish that has a size limit, hold it
against the rod with the nose at the baseline andcompare the fish’s length to the appropriate markfor a quick decision of legality. If the length isclose to the mark, unhook the fish and compare it toan accurate measuring device. Be advised however,that a prudent angler keeps only fish that are clearly
legal as fish can shrink slightly after death. Thereare no provisions in the regulations that allow for“shrinkage”.

6. Remove hook carefully.
A fish hooked in the forward part of the mouthshould not be difficult to release without harm, but
one where the hook is deep in the gullet or the gills
is another problem. Long-nose pliers, or a medicalhemostat, are effective for removing deep hooks
while preventing harm to the fish or angler. If you
need to release a fish which is deeply hooked with asingle bait hook, it is best to cut the line close to thehook and release the fish with the hook in place.
Chances are, the fish will survive and the hook willrust or work its way out within a short time.

7. Avoid use of treble hooks.
Lures with treble hooks are difficult to remove
without damaging the fish in most cases. A truly
concerned angler can buy lures with a single hookor replace treble hooks with a single “siwash” style
hook which holds a fish well but is easier toremove.

IN CONCLUSION
The survival rate of released fish can be greatly
improved if the above procedures are followed.
Remember, the survival of the undersized fish you
release is an important factor in the quality offishing you may expect in future years. You cantake pride in knowing that you are doing your partto ensure the sustainability of our state’s naturalresources.
For a complete information on the sport fishingregulations, pick up a copy of the current California
Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet andsupplements , which are available wherever you
buy your fishing license or online at:www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd Note: sport fishingregulations may change throughout the year, lookfor updates.

TIPS FORRELEASINGSALTWATERFISH
Leopard shark(Triakis semifasciata)

8. Use barbless hooks and/or circlehooks.
Another good idea is to make the hook barblessby closing the barb with a pair of pliers. A hookwith a flattened barb is not easily shaken out by afighting fish, but can be removed with little damage
to the fish. Using circle hooks helps to minimize
deep hooking injuries, as most of the time the hookset will put the circle hook in the corner of thefish’s mouth.

This program received financial assistance throughthe Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act. The
U. S. Department of the Interior prohibits
discrimination on the basis of race, color, national
origin, age, sex, or disability. If you believe you
have been discriminated against in any program,activity, or facility, or if you desire further
information, please write to:
The Office of Human Resources
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
4040 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 300
Arlington, VA 22203

California Department ofFish and GameMarine Region4665 Lampson Ave. Suite C
Los Alamitos, CA 90720(562)342-7100
www.dfg.ca.gov/mrd