Transient cognitive impacts of oxygen deprivation caused by catch-and-release angling

Vertebrate brain function is particularly sensitive to the effects of hypoxia, with even brief periods of oxygen deprivation causing significant brain damage and impaired cognitive abilities. This study is the first to investigate the cognitive consequences of hypoxia in fish, specifically induced by exhaustive exercise and air exposure, conditions commonly encountered during catch-and-release (C&R) practices in recreational fishing. Angling exerts substantial pressure on inland fish populations, underscoring the need for sustainable practices like C&R. While C&R survival rates are generally high, understanding its sublethal impacts is crucial for evaluating the practice's ethical and ecological sustainability. We examined the effects of these stressors on the cognitive function of 238 rainbow trout, using the Free Movement Pattern Y-maze method to assess working memory through navigational search patterns during free exploration sessions. Our results showed that air exposur..., Script and data file have been used to examine the effects of simulated catch-and-release (C&R) on the cognitive function of rainbow trout. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Free Movement Pattern Y-maze method that assess working memory through navigational search patterns during free exploration sessions., , # Transient cognitive impacts of oxygen deprivation caused by catch-and-release angling

Dryad doi: [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.brv15dvk8](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.brv15dvk8)\
Research article doi: [https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2024.0527](https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2024.0527)

## Description of the data and file structure

Catch-and-release (C&R) stress was simulated using well-established, standardised, and controlled protocols, enabling a clear distinction between the individual effects of exhaustion, oxygen deprivation, and their combined interactions. To achieve this, rainbow trout were randomly allocated to one of five experimental treatments, ensuring stratified sampling based on body length. The treatments were as follows: control (N = 52), exhaustive exercise (N = 46), 60-second air exposure (N = 53), exhaustive exercise followed by 30-second air exposure (N = 42), and exhaustive exercise followed by 60-second air exposure (N = 45). Exhaustive exercise involved cha...