Development of resources to promote best practice in the humane dispatch of finfish caught by recreational fishers

Dispatch of finfish using the ikijime method (also known as ikejime or brain spiking) is the fastest and most humane way to kill fish. However, fish brains are small and vary in location between species groups. Without guidance, recreational fishers can find it difficult to pith the brain of a live fish accurately, potentially resulting in unnecessary stress. A lack of information on how to perform ikijime was considered a barrier to the widespread uptake of this method. This project filled the information gap by developing resources that provide accurate information on the ikijime procedure and pinpoint the location of the brain of fish commonly captured by recreational fishers. To assist with communicating this information to recreational fishers and the broader community, a new website was developed, together with the Ikijime Tool series of phone apps, which provide access to interactive photograph/radiograph overlays revealing the brain location of 100 species of fish from 38 families. These resources raise awareness of fish welfare issues and improve the ability of recreational fishers to dispatch fish humanely using best practice methods.