Here's my two cents. I use both. If I'm fishing pike I will usually debarb my hooks mainly because the little buggers tend to try to inhale it and it makes it easier to get the hook out on a real deep hook set.
If I'm fishing with a tip up, I don't debarb as you aren't there to maintain line tension and I find personally I lose less fish.
If I'm fishing ling's or perch I do not debarb, same goes for trout or any small mouth species where you usually hook up in the corner of the mouth.
The only time I've ever had a problem with barbed hooks causing unnecessary damage to a fish is in the pike scenario, hence why I pinch my barbs when fishing for them. Even if I forget to pinch my barb though I've only rarely had a problem with removing hooks without hurting them to much. The trick is to have the proper gear and pliers and understand how to remove a barbed hook. You don't just clamp on vice grips and pull.
I've had a barbed hook stuck 1/2" into the back of my neck and taught a buddy how to remove it without doing any damage to me or inflicting much pain. The trick is to push down on the opposite side of the barb to form a sort of tunnel in the wound and pull it out while maintaing that pressure.
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