Quote:
Originally Posted by DZ
I've always wondered about recreational discards. Seems most of that groundfish fishery is in fairly deep waters. At what depth is it impossible for a cod, haddock, pollock to survive a hook and line release?
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Not at all. I would say a great % of the fish that are caught in the lip, and released quickly, survive.
With Cod, If the water is over 250 feet +/- there air bladder will keep them from returning to the bottom. a little squeeze and "fart" is all it takes to get them right back down.
Haddock don't have an air bladder, so this is a non issue at any depth. They will return right to the bottom.
The larger Pollack 10lbs +/- in over 400' will die. there air bladder is deep inside there spine and you can't "fart" out a big Pollack.
the little ones don't seem to have a problem rocketing back to the bottom.
As someone who holds a handgear permit and sells groundfish every chance I get, I will admit the cod are just not around. I have sat on anchor tuna fishing in once prime areas, NWC, NEC, Jeffreys, etc.. for 3 days at a time for the past 4 years and struggle to fill a now 25 pound per day cod quota and a 75 pound per day haddock quota.
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