Mortality associated with catch-and-release angling of striped bass in the Hudson River

Catch-and-release fishing commonly occurs in recreational fisheries, including those for the striped bass Morone saxatilis of the Atlantic coast. The contribution of catch-and-release practices to overall fishing mortality is often not estimated. We estimated the catch-and-release mortality for the Hudson River spawning stock of striped bass in 2001. Volunteer anglers caught striped bass between April 30 and May 16, 2001. Fish were transferred to transport boats in live wells and placed in one of nine 15,000-L land-based holding tanks. Control fish were collected by electrofishing and otherwise handled similarly. Treatment and control fish were uniquely tagged and held together for 5 d. Hooking mortality was estimated via conditional rate and additive rates. These two estimation technique.,; partitioned total observed mortality into hooking mortality and handling mortality, the latter being estimated from control fish. Catch-and-release mortality for striped bass averaged 16% for traditional J hooks and 5% for circle hooks over the entire period. Hook location and the occurrence of bleeding were the most influential variables in determining the probability of death. Mortality rate increased when water temperatures reached 16 degrees C. This mortality rate is significant and should be considered when accounting for Hudson River striped bass removals from their spawning population.