Caribbean fishermen must now carry a device to save fish they throw back

New rules ban certain fishing nets in US Caribbean waters and require specific tools on boats. Fishermen must now carry a descending device to help released reef fish survive.

For years, fishermen could throw unwanted fish back into the ocean, assuming they would survive. This rule means that assumption is no longer good enough. It shifts the burden to fishermen to actively ensure the survival of fish they do not keep.