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Placement of Visible Implant Tags in the Anal Fin of Wild Coastal Cutthroat Trout
Author(s) -
Wenburg John K.,
George Gordon W.
Publication year - 1995
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 - 10.1577/1548-8675(1995)015<0874:poviti>2.3.co;2
Subject(s) - trout , oncorhynchus , fish measurement , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , biology , fish fin , implant , surgery , medicine
Typical periocular (adipose eyelid) placement of visible implant tags proved inadequate for tagging wild coastal cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki clarki in our research because of individual variation in periocular tissue, excessive stress of tagging procedures, and the inability to consistently tag fish smaller than 150‐mm fork length (FL). A novel technique for placement was developed which alleviated these problems. Tags were placed in the clear tissue between rays of the anal fin. Migrating smolts and adults 110–451 mm FL were successfully tagged in this manner, Adults recaptured 4–85 d after tag placement ( N = 59) exhibited 98% retention, with all but two tags readable in situ. Smolts held in stream enclosures 24 h after tagging ( N = 120) exhibited 97% tag retention with all tags readable in situ. Inspection of insertion points revealed significant tissue healing which rendered future tag losses unlikely.