Dr Ben Diggles, iki jime method explained

In this day and age with every group attempting to restrict fishing in one way or another, it’s time we stop being reactive and start being proactive to stand up for what we all know is not only a great way to get to experience the outdoors with family and friends, but also one of the most sustainable, healthy, environmentally friendly ways to provide food for you and your family that has one of the lowest carbon and water footprint, and the least detrimental effect on our environment.

Although these days it appears that there is something we should be ashamed about what we do, pictures of a legal bag limit of fish are frowned apron, any visible blood on a picture of your catch and you are crucified, anyone that has been Tuna fishing knows if you humanly dispatch your catch then the boat and you are going to be covered in blood. Yes we all want to encourage people to only take what they need and stay within legal bag and size limits. But we all see on our favourite fishing shows that famous cut a way, as they say we will keep this one for dinner, as if there is something wrong about what is going to happen next.

I would like to encourage all our fishing media to first educate themselves if they need to and then educate and promote to the viewer on how to humanly kill the catch as quickly as possible and how to treat the flesh to retain the best eating quality.

Dr Ben Diggles has some brilliant information on this, either a firm knock on the head or spiking of the brain ( iki jime ) will kill fish immediately. These are the two preferred killing methods endorsed by Australia's National Code of Practice for Recreational and Sport Fishing.

A short video

As well as a web page with loads of good information

A very useful future on this web page is the ability to select a species at the top menu, and by moving the bar at the bottom of the image go from a picture of the fish to an extra y of the fish, to locate the position of the brain.

Three brochures are available, freshwater species, estuary species and offshore species, to have handy on the boat when you’re out fishing next.  These are either available to down load from the web age or can be supplied to tackle stores, charter operators and fishing clubs.

http://www.ikijime.com/

Bleeding your fish immediately after stunning or iki jime, and placing in an ice slurry will improve the quality and storage life of your catch, to assist in chilling large fish like SBT, on a small boat, fish chill bags are a great way to get the job done and place the fish out of the way, minimising mess and maximising room, this particular bag can hold ice for days and collapses neatly for storage.

Southern Tackle fish chill bags

Let’s start being proactive there is nothing to be ashamed about what we do, we fish and its more than ok to kill a fish for dinner.

Respect the sea and all it provides. Limit your catch and treat if humanly, share it between family and friends, waste nothing, to do any different would be an affront to the sea and the prey.