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Evaluating a Novel Passive Integrated Transponder Tag in Largemouth Bass
Author(s) -
Siepker Michael J.,
Knuth David S.,
Ball Elizabeth L.,
Koppelman Jeffrey B.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1080/02755947.2012.675955
Subject(s) - micropterus , bass (fish) , fishery , transponder (aeronautics) , catch and release , fish <actinopterygii> , biology , toxicology , environmental science , recreational fishing , geography , meteorology
Passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags are used in fisheries evaluations as a means of marking individual fish because they often have high retention rates, can be passively detected, do not affect fish behavior, and typically do not increase the mortality rates of the study fish. One potential limitation of current PIT tag designs is their glass encapsulation, which could be hazardous to humans if inadvertently consumed. In response to these concerns, plastic infusion process (PIP) PIT tags that are fully encapsulated in food‐grade polymers have recently been developed. We tested in experimental ponds the retention rates of two PIT tag types (i.e., glass and PIP) implanted into two anatomical locations (i.e., the intraperitoneal cavity and dorsal musculature) in two groups of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides . Retention of both tag types was excellent, with only one glass tag being expelled during the study. Survival was higher in control fish than in tagged fish; however, tag type and anatomical tagging location did not influence mortality rates of tagged individuals. The mortality of tagged fish in one trial was related to fish size, the larger individuals surviving better in ponds than their smaller conspecifics. Overall, both tag types performed very well in both anatomical tagging locations. We recommend that fisheries personnel consider the new PIP PIT tags if their work involves tagging fish that could be captured and used for human consumption; however, the size of the study specimens could influence their survival. Received August 4, 2011; accepted January 25, 2012