MOREHEAD, N.C. – Snapper and grouper fishermen would equip their boats with a portable device to help deep-water fish survive when they're caught, under a proposal now being considered by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.
The rapid pressure change as deep-dwelling fish are pulled from the ocean causes gas and swelling, known as barotrauma – and when the bycatch fish are released, they often don't survive it. Captain Jimmy Hull, who fishes commercially off the Florida coast and is vice-chair of the Snapper Grouper Advisory Panel to the South Atlantic, says descending devices can prevent this and help keep fish populations healthy.
"They work very well. They're very simple,” says Hull. “What I use is a weighted, inverted hook with a line on it. I use different size weights for different-size fish. The bigger the fish the bigger the weight I gotta use. We put 'em back down on the bottom, and pull the descending device up, and it unhooks off that fish's lip, and they swim off and survive."
In the South Atlantic, more than 7.5 million black sea bass died after release between 2012 and 2016, according to federal data. The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council oversees ocean fisheries from North Carolina to Florida's east coast. It's taking public comments on the proposal until May 10.
Jeffrey Buckel is a professor at the North Carolina State University Center for Marine Sciences and Technology who studies fish mortality rates. He points out another way to help fish survive catch-and-release involves piercing the side of the fish to let gas out before releasing it.
Buckel says researchers are studying survival rates for fish that are pierced versus those that have been descended.
"And so, what I've seen locally is that folks are more willing to use the venting tool, so where they're actually using a needle or something to allow the gas to escape,” says Buckel. “So, they puncture through the side of fish to release the gases out of the swim bladder and then, that allows the fish to swim down."
Buckel says for recreational fishermen, the safer option would be to use the descending device. If approved, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council would monitor the use of descending devices to gauge the regulation's effectiveness at helping fish populations recover.
Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
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An effort to restore Northern pike habitat in Green Bay is also benefiting other wildlife species and raising local awareness about the effects of climate change.
The primary goal of the multicounty collaboration was to create fish passage openings by building culverts and restoring wetlands to improve spawning habitat for the Northern pike.
Ken Dolata, county conservationist for Oconto County, said the project has since expanded to benefit a wider range of species. Dolata noted most types of Wisconsin wildlife depend on wetlands at some point in their lives, including Northern pike.
"They're very important for controlling bait fish population out there," Dolata explained. "It is a very sought-after fish, especially in the winter time along the bay shore. There'll be people lined up out there ice fishing and recreational wise, it's a huge draw."
Dolata added restoring these areas has given the researchers a unique opportunity to study the travel and reproductive patterns of Northern pike. Their grant funding ends in 2027 but they hope to continue the projects.
Chuck Druckrey, water resource specialist for Marinette County, said half of the remaining wetlands on Lake Michigan are on the West shore of Green Bay. So far, 82 projects have been completed there, opening up 200 stream miles and restoring nearly 20 acres of wetlands. Druckrey pointed out agriculture has replaced many wetlands with ditches, which have become problems for pike and other species.
"What the ditches have done is they've disconnected the waterway from the wetland, because the ditches are deeper than the original streams were," Druckrey observed. "Even if the fish can swim up the ditch, sometimes they can't get out of the ditch into the adjoining wetlands. So that's a lot of the restoration work, is just easing that."
He thinks their progress could become more challenging given the threat of climate change and heavier rainfall but the projects have also provided opportunities to raise awareness of the issues.
They have made two acres of land into an outdoor classroom, for hands-on teaching to students about the importance of wetlands and wildlife habitat.
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife wants to hear from all Coloradans about their updated 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan, a blueprint for preserving at-risk wildlife over the next 10 years.
Since the first plan was launched in 2005, the number of active bald eagle nests has grown from less than 50 to nearly 300.
Madison Martin, deputy director of the Colorado Wildlife Federation, said the plan has also helped peregrine falcon populations and the state's river otters.
"Not only is it fun to see them out in their habitat when you're hiking or enjoying other outdoor activities but they're really crucial for the water systems here in Colorado," Martin explained. "Seeing them playing means that there's a healthy ecosystem going on."
Martin cautioned the work is far from over. The plan identifies 626 "Species of Greatest Conservation Need" including Colorado's iconic bighorn sheep, native cutthroat trout and golden eagles. The plan's list includes 249 butterflies and other invertebrates, six amphibians, 19 reptiles, 35 fish, 48 mammals, 74 birds and 195 plants. More information about the plan and submitting comments is available online at EngageCPW.org.
Kacie Miller, State Wildlife Action Plan coordinator for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said the new plan aims to maximize limited resources by bringing state agencies, partner organizations and residents across the state together to advance conservation efforts.
"We really want to have it be the place where people can learn about these species and their habitats, and also what's needed or what's threatening them," Miller outlined. "We can all be working together to leverage each other's work."
Martin pointed out the public comment period offers Coloradans a once-in-a-decade chance to speak up for the species and landscapes that matter to them. She added if there are species or habitats not in the plan but should be, scientists need to know.
"It's incredibly important for the public to take a look at this, make comments," Martin urged. "Because essentially what we're trying to do is improve the species and the habitats in your backyard."
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A small fox that lives on the Channel Islands off the coast of southern California is thriving after near extinction. The island fox - found nowhere else on Earth - was listed as endangered in 2004 when only about 30 remained.
A multi-agency recovery effort that started in 1999 resulted in the fastest comeback of any terrestrial mammal under the Endangered Species Act.
Chuck Graham, a photographer, traveled to the islands to chronicle their recovery and share the story.
"It wouldn't have happened without all the work of the biologists and everything," said Graham. "I mean otherwise, if it wasn't successful, it would have been a really big disappointment - but everything worked out."
Revered by the islands early Indigenous people, the fox weighs just four pounds, smaller than the average house cat. A photo exhibit by Graham is currently on display at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.
The population began plummeting in the 1960s after predatory golden eagles replaced bald eagles who could no longer breed on the islands due the effects of runoff from the pesticide DDT. Before the island fox could recover, golden eagles were relocated to the mainland and 61 bald eagles were reintroduced starting in 2002.
With the predators gone, the fox survival rate increased to 90% and the population rebounded to more than 2,000 in 2015. Graham said he wanted to document not just the Island Fox, but its environment and the urgency of preserving it.
"I knew the foxes were an item and I knew the bald eagles were, but it was one of those things that you just have to go to know," he explained. "I definitely broadened awareness."
Scientists still debate how the foxes got to the islands some 10,000 years ago. Some speculate they rafted there on storm debris when ocean levels were lower, or were more likely introduced by the Native American Chumash Tribe who considered them a sacred animal.
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