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 of Mexico. Their mission is to improve reef fish survival by equipping anglers with the...
by Colby Blackwell Anglers in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas know what a hotspot the Gulf of Mexico is when it comes to fishing. Shoot, if you are a truly dedicated saltwater fisherman, you’ve probably visited the Gulf of Mexico on a fishing trip. The Gulf of Mexico offers both excellent inshore fishing...
Return ‘Em Right How to Properly Release Fish David Rainer August 16, 2022 To keep the fishing great on the Alabama Gulf Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico, anglers are becoming aware of the need to take steps to ensure any fish released back into the water have the best chance to survive. For...
Originally featured in New Artificial Reefs 2022 Florida Sportsman Magazine July 2022 by Nick Haddad Return ‘Em Right Sustainable Fisheries Communications Manager Techniques for reducing release mortality and promoting healthy fisheries. We all dream about going out there and catching a big grouper or snapper and bringing it home to cook for the family....
July 7, 2022 By DAVID RAINER, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources With the Gulf Coast in the peak of fishing season for the abundant reef fish in Alabama’s vast artificial reef zone, the Return ’Em Right program is designed to educate anglers on how to ensure any fish caught and released have the...
It will be busy out in the bay and Gulf this holiday weekend. Capt. Dylan Hubbard of Hubbard’s Marina dives into how to properly handle fish and taking care of them in the best way possible. Release mortality could be very high when handling certain types of fish, specifically inshore. Click HERE to view the...
Anything that improves fishing will lead to more sales at the dealership level because 70 percent of all boats are used for angling at least some of the time. Here are three actions that can boost fishing participation. In Chesapeake Bay, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas has teamed up with 10 national and...
June 09, 2022 Hear how a federal program is providing free gear and training to anglers to reduce barotrauma in Gulf of Mexico reef fisheries. Click HERE to listen to the podcast. In this episode of Dive In with NOAA Fisheries, we’re talking with experts about barotrauma—a pressure-related injury that fish experience when being reeled...
Originally featured in Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine June 2022 issue by Nick Haddad Return ‘Em Right Sustainable Fisheries Communications Manager Barotrauma: What Makes Fish Float Many anglers have experienced the unpleasant sight of a big snapper or grouper floating off after release. We have all seen it before, turned our heads and attempted to...
