Be ready
Have your pliers, a wet cloth and a wet towel in reach before you land the fish, so it spends as little time out of the water as possible.
Handle with wet hands
Wet your hands before touching the fish, and hold it horizontally if it is large. Avoid squeezing the belly or touching the gills.
Remove the hook
Use long nose pliers to back the hook out. If a fish has swallowed the hook, cut the line as close to the hook as you can rather than pulling.
Revive and release
Hold the fish facing into the current until it kicks away. Do not throw it back, and check the current rules for the species you catch: many have size and bag limits, and some are protected.
General guidance only. Conditions, rules and species differ along the coast, so check with local anglers and the current regulations.