Acomplishing Bonefish Conservation Goals with a Tagging Program
Prior to the development of our bonefish research program, little was known about the spatial distribution bonefish stock abundance or the movements of animals between important fishing areas of south Florida and the Florida Keys . In consultation with concerned anglers and professional guides we developed a program to assess the stock distribution and abundance of bonefish using well-tested quantitative methods in fishery science. Initiated in 1998, the conventional anchor tag-and-recapture for south Florida bonefish study enlists voluntary efforts of professional bonefish guides and avid anglers who ply the waters of the Florida Keys year-round. Each volunteer receives a “tagging kit” composed Hallpring V-bar tags, tag stick, 1 datasheet, 2 pencils, and a tupperware container. The tupperware container is used to contain everything and protect the gear from saltwater. Our program utilizes voluntary efforts by bonefish guides and experienced anglers. Volunteers catch bonefish using hook-and-line gear (usually either fly-rod or spin-cast gears). Using the tag stick relatively thin high-grade polymer plastic tags are anchored in the dorsal musculature and bone structures. After application, the anchor tags look like a small white twig protruding slightly from dorsal area of the fish (Figure 1).
Figure 1.- Bonefish with a Hallprint V-bar tag in the dorsal musculature.
When the tag is secured in the captured fish, volunteers then record the date, tag number, the fork length, and the catch location. The relatively small plastic tag bears a unique identification number along with the printed message “RECORD TAG NO., LOCATION, FISH SIZE, AND CALL 1-888-754-7531.” Fishermen who capture tagged bonefish then record the requested information and call us on our toll-free number. Ultimately, bonefish released bearing tags are recaptured with this essential information returned to us which provides key resource management data on growth, survivorship, movement behaviors and migrations, and potentially will allow estimation of population size necessary to build a sustainable fishery.
Tagging Program Reporting Data
A waterproof field sheet is provided to record the vital information on each fish tagged. All that is required is the number of the tag, the date on which the fish was caught, the fork length of the fish, and the approximate location of the catch. This last piece of information is not intended to reveal an angler's fishing spots - rather, we only need the general area in which the fish was released. Typical areas listed include "Oceanside of Elliot Key," "Arsnicker Keys," and the like. This way, when a fish is recaptured we can determine whether it stayed in the same general area or whether it moved significantly far away.
We also include a section for "Comments" on the field sheet. Here volunteers can list any other useful information regarding the catch, or guides can provide the name and phone numbers for the client who caught the fish. If the fish is recaptured, we can then call this angler to let them know where their fish reappeared after it was released.
After a fish is tagged and all information is recorded on the data sheet, volunteers then have two ways to relay these data. We have created a reporting form on the world wide web, where those familiar with the internet can report fish tagging electronically. If they prefer, volunteers can also report tagging via our toll-free number 1-888-754-7531, email the data to mlarkin@rsmas.miami.edu , or fax it to 305-421-4600.
Once the field sheet is completely filled in, it is dropped in the mail and sent back to the University of Miami . We then use the field sheet to double check all data provided online or by voicemail, and store it for our permanent records.
->> Most recent results from the Bonefish Tag-and-Recapture Program