The SeaQualizer descending device is an innovative release tool designed to help fish recover from the effects of barotrauma. Barotrauma is the result of bringing a fish up from depth to quickly while fishing. Doing this prevents the fish from releasing air from its air bladder quick enough as pressure on it is decreased as it reaches the surface. This causes the air bladder to expand beyond its normal size.
Physical effects of barotrauma can include:
- Floating at the surface
- Stomachs protruding out of the fish’s mouth
- Bulging eyes
- Flared gills
- Inflated body cavities
To use the SeaQualizer pressure activated release tool first, attach the device to a fishing rod or retrieval line. Next, you’ll attach your fish and lower it back down into the water. The device will release the barotrauma stricken fish at a predetermined depth set on your SeaQualizer.
Each Saltwater model has three depth settings to choose from:
- 30-50-70 ft for the Shallow Release
- 50-100-150 ft for the Standard Release
- 100-200-300 ft for the Deep Release
By bringing the fish back down to depth, naturally occurring pressure will re-compress the enlarged swim bladder causing the fish to become neutrally buoyant allowing it to swim on their own. This also eliminates all of the other physical effects of barotrauma that were seen at the surface. You can see the SeaQualizer in action on our technology page.