Barbless Hooks the New Rule in Yellowstone

Interestingly, studies of mortality done by Yellowstone researchers don’t support the elimination of barbs, but public perception and the ease of releasing fish do. “People come from all over the world to fish in a protected ecosystem like Yellowstone, and deformed-looking fish caused by overfishing can have negatively affect that experience, [park supervisory fisheries biologist Todd Koel]said. ‘And we just don’t like to see injured fish,’ Koel said. ‘Barbless hooks, of course, will help that. There’s less handling time and they are easier to remove. All we’re asking is to bend or crimp your barbs.'” From the Associated Press.