10 Fish You're Legally Required to Release and Why

Some Fish You Can Hook but Can't Keep

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Most fishing regulations are about limits: size, season and bag counts. A smaller group of species is off-limits entirely, either because the animals are endangered, because they grow and reproduce so slowly that harvest can't be sustained, or because they've been protected after a collapse. For those fish, the law says you must release them immediately, in the water if possible, and in some cases you must not even take them out of it. Penalties can include heavy fines, loss of fishing privileges and, for federally listed species, criminal charges. The rules vary by state and region, and some change as populations recover or decline, so always check the current regulations before you go. The 10 fish below are among the best-known catch-and-release-only species in American waters, and each entry explains why. Knowing how to handle and release them correctly is a basic part of being a responsible angler.

Atlantic Goliath Grouper

Atlantic goliath grouper can grow to well over 400 pounds, and for decades they were easy targets because they hang around wrecks, reefs and bridges and don't flee from boats. Heavy harvest crashed their populations, and federal waters and Florida's state waters have banned possession of them since 1990. They are slow-growing, long-lived and take years to mature, which makes them very vulnerable to overfishing. Populations have partially recovered, and anglers now report frequent encounters with large groupers taking hooked fish off the line. Florida has allowed a limited, tightly controlled harvest of juveniles in state waters in recent years, which is controversial since NOAA has called for full federal protection. For most anglers, the rule is simple: if you hook one, release it right away, keep it in the water and cut the line close to the hook if you can't remove it safely.

Nassau Grouper

The Nassau grouper is a reef fish that gathers in huge spawning aggregations at predictable times and places, and that habit made it easy for fishermen to wipe out entire groups in a single outing. Overfishing collapsed populations across the Caribbean, and the species is listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. In federal waters of the U.S. Caribbean, the harvest and possession of Nassau grouper are prohibited, and any caught must be released immediately with as little harm as possible. Spawning sites are protected seasonally in several places. Fish brought up from deep water suffer barotrauma, which may require venting tools or descending devices to help them survive when released. Anglers fishing in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico should have a descender on board and know the local rules, which can be stricter than federal ones.

Smalltooth Sawfish

The smalltooth sawfish is a ray with a long, toothed snout, and it's one of the most endangered fish in U.S. waters. Once found along much of the Southeast coast and the Gulf of Mexico, it is now mostly confined to southern Florida, where it is protected under the Endangered Species Act. It is illegal to harm, harass or kill one, and federal guidance tells anglers who accidentally hook a sawfish to leave it in the water, keep it away from the boat's propeller, and cut the line as close to the hook as possible. Their toothed rostrum easily tangles in nets and lines, which was a major cause of decline. Sawfish take years to mature and have few young, so population recovery is slow. If you catch one, take a photo from a distance without lifting it, and report the encounter to NOAA's sawfish hotline.

Atlantic and Shortnose Sturgeon

Sturgeon are ancient fish that can live for decades and reach more than a dozen feet, but they take 10 to 20 years or more to reach maturity. Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon populations collapsed through overfishing, dam construction and pollution, and both are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Anglers fishing East Coast rivers for other species sometimes hook them by accident, and the rules require you to release them immediately and carefully. Keeping them in the water is critical, since lifting a large sturgeon out of the water can injure its internal organs. Gulf sturgeon are also protected, and some western populations, like white sturgeon, have special catch-and-release rules with slot limits that vary by state. Before targeting sturgeon, check whether your state allows catch-and-release fishing at all, because some waters are closed to any fishing for them.

Great White Shark

Great white sharks are a prohibited species in the United States, which means that no one may retain one in recreational or commercial fisheries. Anglers who catch one must release it immediately without taking it out of the water. They mature late, reproduce slowly and have long gestation periods, so even small increases in mortality can hurt their populations. The prohibition began in the 1990s and has since helped some populations recover, particularly along the Northeast coast and California. In practice, hooking one by accident usually happens when fishing for other large fish, such as when a white shark takes a bait meant for a tuna or another shark. Cutting the line close to the hook is the safest approach. Federal rules also say you can't target them, and in several states it's illegal to feed or chum for them in ways that attract them near beaches.

Sand Tiger and Dusky Sharks

Along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, federal rules put several sharks on a prohibited list, which means anglers can't keep them. Sand tigers, which look fierce but are fairly docile, have been protected since the late 1990s because of their slow reproduction, with females producing only a couple of pups every two years. Dusky sharks, large, long-lived sharks that were overfished in earlier decades, are also prohibited in the Atlantic and are the subject of a rebuilding plan. Both species can be mistaken for others by beginners, and misidentification is a common cause of accidental violations. Shore anglers fishing for larger sharks should learn the prohibited list and carry an identification guide. If you catch one, release it quickly, avoid lifting it out of the water by the tail, and use circle hooks, which reduce injuries and make releases easier.

Bull Trout

Bull trout are a char native to cold, clean rivers and lakes of the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies, and they need cold water, clean gravel for spawning and unblocked rivers to migrate. Habitat loss, dams, competition from non-native trout and overharvest cut their numbers sharply, and they are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. In many waters, anglers must release any bull trout they catch, though a few places in Montana, Idaho and Washington allow limited harvest in specific areas. Bull trout are easy to confuse with brown trout, lake trout and Dolly Varden, so learning the identification markers is important. Their fins lack black spots, and they have light-colored spots on a dark body. When you catch one, keep it in the water, handle it with wet hands and release it quickly, since they are sensitive to warm water and stress.

Colorado Pikeminnow

The Colorado pikeminnow is the largest minnow in North America and once reached sizes of up to six feet, with early settlers calling it the Colorado River salmon. Dams, water diversions and non-native fish have devastated its populations, and it is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The species is found in the upper Colorado River basin, and anglers fishing for other species in places like the Green and Yampa rivers sometimes hook one. State and federal rules require that it be released unharmed, and some waters are closed to fishing during critical times. It looks a bit like a walleye, with a long, slender body, but its mouth is large and it lacks the pronounced spiny fin. Handle it carefully, keep it in the water, and report any catch to the state wildlife agency, since it helps biologists track their numbers.

Wild Atlantic Salmon

Wild Atlantic salmon once swam up nearly every river in the Northeast, but dams, pollution and overfishing wiped out most of the runs. The remaining Gulf of Maine population is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, and in Maine, it's illegal to fish for them or keep them. Anglers who catch one by accident while fishing for trout or other species must release it immediately. Maine's rivers like the Penobscot and the Narraguagus still see small runs, and extensive restoration efforts are underway, including dam removals on the Penobscot. Fish raised in hatcheries are used to supplement the population. Because anglers might not recognize a juvenile salmon from a small trout, state agencies publish identification guides. Handle fish with wet hands, don't lift them out of the water and avoid fishing in warm water, which stresses them.

Lake Sturgeon

Lake sturgeon are the giants of the Great Lakes and the Mississippi basin, living more than 100 years and reaching up to seven feet. Overfishing in the 1800s, along with dams and pollution, brought them near extinction in many waters. Because females don't spawn until their mid-20s and then only every few years, populations recover very slowly. Most states and provinces protect them, and in many waters anglers must release any they catch, though a few places allow strictly limited harvest or special seasons. Wisconsin's Lake Winnebago has a famed controlled spearing season, supported by decades of management. Check your state's rules before you fish, since the regulations differ. If you accidentally hook one, release it in the water without lifting it, keep your hands off its gills and cut the line near the hook if you can't remove it easily.

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