By: Nick Haddad Protecting Your Catch and Boosting Survival Rates Two of the largest issues that both anglers and fisheries managers face today are catch and release mortality (often from barotrauma) and depredation from apex predators. Both of these topics are such pressing concerns because they lead to large sources of fishing mortality, without the...
By: Dr. Charles Sidman Teaching Kids to Fish with Kathleen Elliot When a kid learns to cast a line into the water, they are doing far more than fishing, they are reaching for confidence, self-reliance, and a deeper understanding of their place in the world. At the heart of the Mahogany Youth Corporation’s Teach a...
Originally featured in Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine September 2023 issue by Nick Haddad Return ‘Em Right Sustainable Fisheries Communications Manager New regulations for venting and descending reef fish have sparked conversation and controversy across the Gulf. From Facebook fishing groups to online forums and on-the-water fodder, everyone seems to be an expert...
Capt. Dylan Hubbard of Hubbard’s Marina dives into the upcoming snapper season and how anglers should be prepared with a venting tool or a descending device that’s rigged and ready to use on released fish that show signs of barotrauma. Release mortality could be very high when handling certain types of fish like red snapper...
by Frank Sargeant | Apr 13, 2023 Published in Great Days Outdoors May 2023 issue Reef species are so popular on the table that the last thing most of us want to think about is releasing them after the catch. But with tight harvest rules on most species these days, catch and release is a part of nearly...
Fishing reefs and wrecks in Marathon and the Florida Keys is as common as the postcard sunsets. But bottom fishing can bring with it an all-too-common sight: a deep water fish floating away after being released. It’s called barotrauma, where the fish’s body cavity expands and distorts, leaving them helpless at the surface. Initiatives are...
Tom Rowland Podcast – Episode #744 Nick Haddad is the Sustainable Fisheries Communications Manager for Return ‘Em Right which is a new program that is the leading voice for tackling catch and release mortality due to barotrauma in the Gulf. Their mission is to improve reef fish survival by equipping anglers with the knowledge and...
Originally featured on The International Game Fish Association website on 11/25/22 by Nick Haddad Return ‘Em Right Sustainable Fisheries Communications Manager IGFA All-Tackle Length Records The IGFA established the All-Tackle Length World Record program in 2010 as a conservation-based category that mandates fish be released. With a recent split of the All-Tackle Length records into...
by Colby Blackwell Some anglers, fishing captains, and Gulf residents may remember the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in 2010 off the coast of Louisiana. I vaguely remember hearing about it as I got a little bit older and I knew of one friend’s family who was affected by the oil spill, but I didn’t really...
by Colby Blackwell Anglers in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas know what a hotspot the Gulf is when it comes to fishing. Shoot, if you are a truly dedicated saltwater fisherman, you’ve probably visited the Gulf on a fishing trip. The Gulf offers both excellent inshore fishing from Florida to Texas’ coastline and...
