Thursday July 30, 2026
UBC —
Coho salmon released by recreational anglers are far more likely to survive when handled without a landing net, according to new research. In salmon fisheries where anglers may be required to release salmon that are undersized, wild or not the target species, post-release survival is critical to conservation efforts.
Researchers in UBC’s Pacific Salmon Ecology and Conservation Laboratory, led by Dr. Scott Hinch, found that damage to a fish’s scales and fins was the strongest predictor of whether a released coho survived. Most of that damage occurred when the fish were landed using typical “fish-friendly” mesh nets, while fish landed using smooth, vinyl-coated materials suffered far less fin and scale damage.
“The main takeaway for anglers is that if they are releasing a coho, they need to do so in the water next to the boat, without using a net,” said lead author Quin Johnston, a master’s student in Dr. Hinch’s lab.