Kill fish humanely

Fish you mean to keep should be killed at once and humanely, never left lying to gasp. That is both the right thing for the animal and what gives the best quality of the meat. It takes only a few seconds, and you need nothing more than a simple tool and a knife.

How you do it

1. Stunning blow. Give a firm blow to the head, just above the eyes, right after you have landed the fish. Use a priest or a solid stick. The fish should become unconscious at once and lie completely still.
2. Bleed it out. Cut the gill arches or make a cut behind the gills and let the fish bleed out. That makes sure it is dead and gives paler, better-tasting meat.

Have the tool out already before you start fishing, so you can kill quickly the moment the fish is landed, instead of hunting for something to strike with while the fish flaps.

Why it matters

A quick, firm kill spares the fish unnecessary suffering. It also affects the food: fish that is bled out and cooled quickly tastes better and keeps longer. So it is not a choice between ethics and quality, but the same thing. A fish that is left to die slowly also becomes poorer food, with darker and looser meat.

Common mistakes to avoid

Two mistakes come back. The first is to hesitate and strike too softly, so the fish is only injured instead of stunned. A firm blow is in fact kinder than several half-hearted ones. The second is to put off the kill, for example putting the fish in a bucket and carrying on fishing. Kill at once, while you still have the fish in your hands.

After the kill

Keep the fish cold and clean it as soon as you can, see cleaning fish. If you are unsure whether the fish should be kept or put back, read keep or put back. More rules and ethics sit under rules.