Fish & Game initiative teaches anglers how to handle trout

PHOTO/SUPPLIED

With the summer fishing season now under way, Fish & Game has launched an initiative to educate anglers on how to properly look after trout they catch.

Fish & Game has produced videos, along with a new brochure and pages on its website, to inform anglers on the best way to handle trout they have caught.

Proper handling of trout was a good way to ensure a trout was fit for the table and for anglers to "play their part" in sustaining fish stocks, said Fish & Game communications manager Don Rood.

Rood said all anglers, not just the less experienced, needed to be aware that how they handled any trout they caught was critical if the fish was to thrive after release back into the stream or river.

"We want anglers to look after the trout they catch while they decide to keep them for dinner or release the prime breeding stock," Rood said.

"It doesn't matter if you are selectively harvesting one for a feed or releasing good fish so they can breed, you want them to be in the best possible condition.

"We're not of course urging anglers to release every trout, but encouraging them to look after them all."

Rood said some practices to avoid were fighting a trout for too long, using too light gear, dragging trout onto the rocks or boat deck and not taking enough care removing hooks.

He said trout made excellent food so if you were keeping them for the table, make the decision and kill them quickly and humanely.

"Trout are a great source of wild food and for many anglers, hunting and gathering for their families is a key part of the fishing experience," Rood said.

"You don't have to apologise for selectively taking fish for the table and our publicity material advises on the most humane way to despatch a trout.

"Looking after the fish we catch is not only better for the health of our trout populations and the future of the fishery, but also your reputation as a provider of good quality food for family and friends."

For advice on handling and netting fish, have a look at the Fish & Game website: https://fishandgame.org.nz/freshwater-fishing-in-new-zealand/getting-started/looking-after-your-trout/.