Black sea bream Spondyliosoma cantharus is highly valued for its sporting and eating qualities. Due to its inshore spawning aggregations and male nest guarding behaviours, it is considered vulnerable to over-exploitation via recreational angling. In 2015 BUG was commissioned by Natural England to investigate the physiological and behavioural impacts of catch-and-release angling on black bream.
Working in collaboration with Carleton University, Canada, the findings of the project have now been published in ICES Journal of Marine Science and have important implications for the future management and monitoring of the fishery to ensure sustainability of stocks.
The full paper is available to read at: http://icesjms.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/09/06/icesjms.fsw151.full.pdf?keytype=ref&ijkey=qLO9He2JOEC3HZo