Evaluation of Recovery Bags for Improving the Locomotory Ability and Survival of Angled Bonefish

Bonefish (Albula spp.) are a popular species targeted by recreational anglers in shallow tropical and sub-tropical seas worldwide. Despite the fact that bonefish angling is almost entirely catch-and-release, the stress of an angling event causes post-release locomotory impairment, leaving bonefish more vulnerable to predation. We used tri-axial accelerometer loggers to compare the locomotory activity of bonefish exposed to a simulated angling event in a tidal creek in Eleuthera, The Bahamas. Following the angling event, fish were either immediately released or held in a recovery bag for 15 min prior to release. There were 10 fish in each treatment with a mean fork length of 397 mm. At the time of release, we also validated the use of reflex impairment indices for evaluating bonefish condition. Fish were then visually tracked for 30 min with floats to evaluate short-term survival, after which the archival logger was retrieved. Preliminary results suggest that fish held in recovery bags moved more vigorously at time of release than those released immediately following the angling event. The effectiveness of recovery bags for improving locomotory ability and survival will be discussed, along with the practical aspects on the use of recovery bags to facilitate recovery.