In the backcountry, tarpon, bonefish and permit break hearts and fulfill dreams. At the offshore humps, where the ocean floor rises to within 400 feet of the surface, mahi turn bright when the fight is on. Because Islamorada is only a mile wide, it’s easy to hop from the Atlantic to the Gulf side, where reefs and wrecks hold snapper and grouper. A species that lives in hundreds of feet of water is basically on another planet. So releasing a demersal fish like snapper or grouper at the surface is often fatal, which over time can decimate a fishery.
Return ‘Em Right is changing that dynamic. Four years ago, this initiative set out to reduce the impact of barotrauma in reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico. Return ‘Em Right was founded in 2021 with the goal of not only improving outcomes for bottomfish, but fundamentally changing how anglers think. In just four years, Return ‘Em Right’s impact has been significant. With the Gulf of Mexico a major focus for Return ‘Em Right, reaching anglers in the Florida Keys is critical.
