Most released snapper survive, however a few simple changes can support a greater survival rate:
- Fish shallow where you can. A 2026 Fisheries NZ study found survival is highest for fish caught in less than 15m deep. Fish brought up from deeper water are more prone to barotrauma – swim bladder damage that limits them from swimming back down.
- Be quick and gentle. Keep the fish in the water where possible, wet your hands first, don’t touch the gills, and unhook and release without delay. Keep time in the air to a minimum.
- Help deep-caught fish get down. If a fish is bloated or floating, keep a weighted descender onboard and attach it to the rig to help return the fish to depth.
- Reduce gut hooking. Circle hooks and lures hook far fewer fish in the throat or gut – the injury most likely to kill a released fish.
- Keep the legal fish. If a fish is legal size, keep it rather than putting it back to hold out for a bigger one. Every fish you release carries some risk, so there’s no conservation gain in swapping a good fish for the chance of catching a better one.
- Move on if fish are undersized. Catching and releasing small fish over and over to find a bigger one adds up. If you’re only getting undersized fish, shift spots.
