{"id":4280,"date":"2024-07-10T08:59:34","date_gmt":"2024-07-10T12:59:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/hooklinescience\/?p=4280"},"modified":"2024-07-10T09:00:57","modified_gmt":"2024-07-10T13:00:57","slug":"are-you-rigged-and-ready-to-release-red-snapper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/hooklinescience\/are-you-rigged-and-ready-to-release-red-snapper\/","title":{"rendered":"Are you rigged and ready to release red snapper?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

Things to know in advance of the 2024 one-day red snapper season.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Problem<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s called the Ideal Gas Law. Bubbles of gas in the water expand as they rise from high-pressure deep water into lower air pressure on the surface. This basic law of physics affects deep-sea divers, fishers, and even fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some fish have swim bladders that are connected to the gut and can \u201cburp\u201d to relieve gas pressure. Other fish can\u2019t, and gas builds in the swim bladder. Think back to that rising bubble. A swim bladder \u2014 a gas-filled organ that allows a fish to move vertically in the water column \u2014 is much like that bubble. The bladder can double or triple in size because of the swift change in pressure. Deepwater anglers see examples of this \u201cbarotrauma\u201d when a fish\u2019s swim bladder balloons as they reel it in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fish susceptible to this include important recreational species such as red snapper. When these fish are released with the equivalent of something as large as a beach ball in their guts, they can\u2019t swim back down. As they drift at the surface, they become easy prey for hungry predators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\u00a02024 one-day red snapper season<\/a>\u00a0in South Atlantic waters is this Friday, July 12. The recreational bag limit is ONE fish per person. If you are lucky enough to head offshore to fish for snapper-grouper species, follow these helpful tips below to improve that fish\u2019s chance of survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Solution<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using proper catch-and-release practices reduces waste in the fishery and leads to improved survival rates of released fish. Even a 5% increase in fish that survive, for instance, would save 100,000 red snapper each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first step is to recognize when a fish is struggling with barotrauma. Generally, fish caught deeper than 30 feet will suffer some effects of barotrauma. Signs include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n