Tagged fish, regardless the size, are a special moment for an angler that’s lucky enough to catch one. The metal jaw tag on a walleye or smallmouth bass holds the same weight as a banded duck or goose to waterfowl hunter, and similar to waterfowl these tags play an important role in fisheries management.
The three major components of fisheries management are recruitment, growth, and mortality. Recruitment refers to fish entering a system, whether by natural reproduction or stocking efforts. Growth is how fish grow and mature throughout their life cycle, which is tied closely to forage. Mortality is the fish exiting the system, whether by natural death or being harvested by anglers.
Tagging studies play a key role in understanding angler exploitation. Commonly referred to as angler harvest, this is the percentage of fish within a population that are caught and kept by anglers in any given year.
Anglers may encounter a number of different tag types, on a number of different species, on a number of different waterbodies.
Jaw tags are most commonly used on walleye and smallmouth bass, while dangler tags can also be used on both of these species. Additionally, dangler tags are also used on catfish. For smaller species, such as bluegill or yellow perch, T-bar tags are most common. While these are a few common examples, tag types will vary based on the species, fishery, and study type.
While the concept appears simple, tagging studies are more complex than a tag being placed on a fish and an angler reporting that tag number once that fish is caught. To properly estimate angler exploitation, fisheries managers consider tag loss, tagging mortality, and angler tag reporting rates.
Tag loss, which is literally the loss of the tag off the fish, can be determined by providing an additional identifying component. This could be a second tag, or it could be another indicator physically on the fish. Mother Nature is unpredictable, and inevitably some of these physical tags will naturally be removed from fish, which is why several studies have taken place to account for tag loss by tag type and fish species. The results of all of these studies are then included in tagging studies to make them more efficient and effective.
Similar to the inevitable lost tags is the inevitable lost fish. Throughout the process of capturing, recording, and tagging fish the risk of fish mortality is always present. While tagging mortality is often assumed to be zero, true estimates are determined by placing fish that have been tagged in a net pen to monitor survival under normal conditions.
Even when everything goes perfectly, the tag remains intact on the fish and the fish continues its normal life cycle, anglers still need to report tagged fish when they are caught for the tagging study to be successful. While many anglers will report their tags, there are some that for whatever reason may not.
The rate of anglers reporting their tagged fish they catch is determined by including both non-reward and high-reward tags in the study. High-reward tags, which are often $100, are used to assume an angler that is fortunate to catch this tagged fish will be motivated to go through the process to report the tagged fish.
Once tag loss, tagging mortality, and angler reporting rates are accounted for exploitation rates can begin to be determined. However, these tagging studies can also provide even more information for fisheries managers. This includes fish movement, growth, and population estimates.
When anglers report tagged fish, they are asked to identify approximately where they caught it within the fishery. This information, when compared to where the fish was initially captured, can show fish movements within a system. Additionally, this information can provide data on migrations, home ranges, and preferred habitat usage by these fish populations.
Anglers will also be asked to report the length of the tagged fish they caught. This angler’s reported length will be compared to the length at the time the fish was tagged, which can help determine growth within these individual fish. This growth rate can then be compared to other growth data obtained through other sampling methods, and other reported tagged fish.
Mark and recapture studies are also an effective way to estimate population. This is determined by initially capturing, and tagging or identifying in some other way, and then determining recaptures based on angler reporting or other survey efforts. The ratio of tagged fish to untagged fish in these recapture efforts helps determine the total population of fish within a fishery.
At the center of all of this is the anglers themselves. The success and effectiveness of these studies relies on anglers reporting tagged fish, both reward and non-reward, they catch. Anglers that are fortunate to catch a tagged fish are highly encouraged to report the tag number and capture location to their respective natural resource management entity.
Anglers are encouraged to treat the fish as they would any other fish they catch throughout their day, and can either release or harvest that fish provided it is within legal limits. Anglers that do wish to release their fish are encouraged to report the tag number and leave the tag on the fish so additional information can be gathered through following recaptures.
While a tag number is sufficient for non-reward tags, physical proof is required for payment on reward tags. This could be a picture showing the tag number, or the actual tag can be brought to a local management office. Reward tags are only eligible for payment once, and rewards are issued via check usually 2-4 weeks within the information being submitted.
Any angler that catches a tagged fish and reports their information will receive a tag certificate and/or letter with information about their catch. This can provide valuable information to the angler as well as the satisfaction of having participated in fisheries management. Tagging studies are an important component of monitoring and evaluating fish populations, and are important for us to continue to enjoy the fisheries we have today!
