A laboratory evaluation of tagging-related mortality and tag loss in juvenile humpback chub

North American Journal of Fisheries Management
By: , and 

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Abstract

We quantified tag retention, survival, and growth in juvenile, captive-reared Humpback Chub Gila cypha marked with three different tag types: (1) Biomark 12.5-mm, 134.2-kHz, full duplex PIT tags injected into the body cavity with a 12-gauge needle; (2) Biomark 8.4-mm, 134.2-kHz, full duplex PIT tags injected with a 16-gauge needle; and (3) Northwest Marine Technology visible implant elastomer (VIE) tags injected under the skin with a 29-gauge needle. Estimates of tag loss, tagging-induced mortality, and growth were evaluated for 60 d with each tag type for four different size-groups of fish: 40–49 mm, 50–59 mm, 60–69 mm, and 70–79 mm TL. Total length was a significant predictor of the probability of PIT tag retention and mortality for both 8-mm and 12-mm PIT tags, and the smallest fish had the highest rates of tag loss (12.5–30.0%) and mortality (7.5–20.0%). Humpback Chub of sizes 40–49 mm TL and tagged with VIE tags had no mortality but did have a 17.5% tag loss. Growth rates of all tagged fish were similar to controls. Our data indicate Humpback Chub can be effectively tagged using either 8-mm or 12-mm PIT tags with little tag loss or mortality at sizes as low as 65 mm TL.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title A laboratory evaluation of tagging-related mortality and tag loss in juvenile humpback chub
Series title North American Journal of Fisheries Management
DOI 10.1080/02755947.2014.986345
Volume 35
Issue 1
Year Published 2015
Language English
Publisher American Fisheries Society
Publisher location Lawrence, KS
Contributing office(s) Southwest Biological Science Center
Description 6 p.
First page 135
Last page 140
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
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