Effects of Two Different Landing Nets on Injuries to the Barramundi Lates calcarifer, an Iconic Australian Sport Fish

Use of catch and release, a growing aspect of recreational angling, is promoted for most recreational fisheries, including the fishery for the barramundi Lates calcarifer, an iconic sport fish of northern Australia. Landing nets are commonly used to remove fish from the water and to help hold and control fish while hooks or lures are removed before release. We investigated damage to mucus, scales, skin, and fins of 1.0–3.5-kg barramundi that were caught and held for 60 s in two different types of landing net. The two landing nets represented the commonly used knotted-mesh net and the newer knotless net, which has a smaller mesh size and a flat bottom. Both types of landing net caused some injury, such as mucus loss, scale loss, and fin tears. However, use of the knotless, flat-bottomed landing net considerably reduced the occurrence of these injuries. Holding in the knotted net was associated with fin damage scores and dermal abrasion scores that were over four and five times greater, respectively, than the scores associated with holding in the knotless net. No fish died as a result of being handled in either net. These results are similar to those of other studies that investigated smaller fish. The effects of these injuries on fish survival are discussed.