Evaluation of the retention of external tags by juvenile American plaice ( Hippoglossoides platessoides) using an aquarium experiment

• Published in: Fisheries research Vol. 16; no. 1; pp. 1 - 7
• Main Authors: Morgan, M.J., Walsh, S.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.02.1993; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; CRECIMIENTO; CROISSANCE; FORMAS JUVENILES; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects. Techniques; GROWTH; HIPPOGLOSSOIDES; Hippoglossoides platessoides; JUVENILE; JUVENILES; MARCADO DEL GANADO; Marine; MARKING; MARQUAGE DES ANIMAUX; Methods and techniques (sampling, tagging, trapping, modelling...); SUPERVIVENCIA; SURVIE; SURVIVAL; ANW, Canada, Newfoundland, Grand Bank; Marine environment; Vertebrata; Growth; Pisces; Animal tagging; Mortality; Biological effect; Retention time; Young animal; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0165-7836; 1872-6763
• DOI: 10.1016/0165-7836(93)90105-G

Juvenile American plaice (18–24 cm) were tagged with one of four external tag types: Petersen discs, operculum danglers, streamers or spaghetti tags. The fish were held in the laboratory for 1 year to study tag retention and the effect of the various tag types on growth and survival. Tag retention was highest for spaghetti tags, with seven of nine tags still being attached after 1 year. Four of nine operculum danglers remained after 1 year, three of nine Petersen discs, and zero of nine streamers. For those fish that still had tags after 1 year there was no difference by tag type in growth, length or weight. There was no tagging mortality. Based on this experiment and their ease of application, we conclude that spaghetti tags would provide the best results in field studies of juvenile flatfish.