Evaluating the conservation benefit of circle hooks for the Atlantic Striped Bass recreational fishery.

Objective: The Striped Bass Morone saxatilis is one of the most sought‐after recreational fish species along the US Atlantic coast. Regulations and a strong conservation ethic among anglers make Striped Bass among the most frequently released coastal marine fishes. A recent rule requires anglers to use circle hooks when targeting Striped Bass with natural baits, yet the conservation benefit of this action remains unclear. Methods: We used acoustic telemetry to monitor the fate of Striped Bass that were recreationally caught with baited hooks (n = 349) and to estimate the influence of various biological (fish size), fishery (fight time, handling time, hook location, bait type, and hook type), and environmental (water temperature and air temperature) variables on postrelease survival. Result: A semi‐quantitative score of fish release condition was the single best predictor of mortality. A broader dataset that included untagged fish (n = 716) was used to identify the best predictors of fish release condition, which included hook location and handling time. Conclusion: Contrary to expectations, the circle hooks used in this study did not result in lower release mortality than conventional J‐hooks. Impact statementStriped Bass are a popular recreational sport fish in the United States, with most fish being caught and released. To increase the survival of released fish, anglers are now required to use circle hooks when fishing with bait. This study found that using circle hooks does not increase the survival of released Striped Bass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]