Catch-and-release purists are using flawed logic

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 29, 2026

There are waters where the state mandates catch and release, but others rely on fishermen to keep certain species of fish in check to maintain a proper ecosystem. Fishermen don’t agree on when catch and release is appropriate, or in regards to which species, and they feel very strongly about whichever side they have chosen on the issue. Catch and release 100 percent of the time is flawed logic. Preserving a fishery for the next generations is not as simple as catch and release. It can have the opposite effect, causing an imbalance between food and population that results in unhealthy fish or allowing the non-native species to thrive over the natives. Knowing the laws and rules helps fishermen be part of the solutions in fishery management and not the problem.