Sharks and rays

Their biology explains their fragility. They grow slowly, breed late and produce few young at a time — sometimes one or two per litter, after a gestation of more than a year. A depleted population takes decades to rebuild, where a bony fish shedding millions of eggs can recover in a few seasons.

Most carry organs able to detect the minute electrical fields given off by a living body. They locate prey buried in sand without seeing or smelling it, and that same sensitivity explains why they react to a poorly insulated rig or a noisy boat.

Handling matters here more than anywhere else. Caudal spines on some rays, teeth and sheer power on sharks: the angler’s safety and the fish’s survival rest on the same habits — barbless hooks, minimum time out of the water, and a release supported until the animal swims off under its own power.