The Role of Angler Behaviour on the Post-Release Locomotor Activity and Depth Selection of Angled Fish Revealed by Biologgers

Catch-and-release is a growing practice worldwide with the number of fish released each year in the billions. Few studies have been able to observe fine-scale behaviour in the wild. My goal was to assess fish behaviour in the wild following various angling scenarios using externally attached biologgers. Chapter 2 assessed the impacts of air exposure on the post-release behaviour of three gamefish species. My data suggested that Northern Pike that were air-exposed exhibited decreased swimming activity immediately after release. In chapter 3, I evaluated the efficacy of assisted recovery methods at reducing post-release behavioural impairments in Rainbow Trout. I determined that assisted recovery was effective at reducing equilibrium impairments, especially if cold water was used. Behavioural data was gathered using externally attached biologgers equipped with tri-axial accelerometers. These results suggest that the behavioural impacts of a C&R event can vary greatly with the species targeted, angler behaviour, and environmental factors.