Did you know anglers
targeting reef fish such as grouper and snapper in the Gulf of Mexico are no
longer be
 |
| Venting a red grouper |
required to use venting tools to treat fish suffering from
barotrauma. Barotrauma is the rapid expansion of gases inside a fish’s swim bladder due to changes in pressure when brought to the surface.
Venting is the process of releasing these trapped
gases by inserting a sharpened, hollow needle into the side of the fish, which
has shown to be a useful method for returning fish back to depth
. However, while venting
can be attributed to increased survival rates for some species, research for
many other is either lacking or inconclusive, particularly in deeper waters. In
addition, new gear known as fish descending devices can be used to return fish
back to depth without the need of venting in many cases. Research from the U.S.
Pacific coast has shown that fish descending gear have been highly effective
at increasing the survival rates of several species of released rockfish. It is
hoped that these devices will have similar results for reef fish in the Gulf of
Mexico and South Atlantic. Because of the reasons, the Gulf Council voted to
remove the venting requirement. It is important to note, however, that both
venting and descending devices are options of last resort and should only be
used if fish can’t get back down on their own. Knowing when and how to properly
use these devices is key to improving the survival rates of fish that are
released.Are you new to fish descending gear?
While fish descending gear is not necessarily new, their use has been more prevalent on the west coast than
 |
A Seaqualizer Fish Descending
Tool being used to
return a red grouper
suffering from barotrauma |
here in the Gulf and South Atlantic. Check out the following videos that show some examples of these devices.
Using the Fish Saver Descending Tool
Using a Utility Crate (aka fish elevator) Fish Descending Tool
Using the Seaqualizer Fish Descending Tool
To learn more about barotrauma, venting tools, and fish descending gear visit Florida Sea Grant's catch and release website.
