Effects of tag type, morphological location and tagger experience on tag retention rates in freshwater fishes

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (6) ◽  
pp. 891
Author(s):  
Jarod P. Lyon ◽  
Robin Hale ◽  
Adrian Kitchingman ◽  
Justin O'Connor ◽  
Joanne Sharley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Management ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Lowland River ◽  
Passive Integrated Transponder ◽  
Tag Retention ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Murray Cod ◽  
Pit Tagging ◽  
River Fish ◽  
Rejection Rates

Mark–recapture of fish is often used to inform fisheries or conservation management. Given that variability in tagging efficiencies can affect estimates of population size, it is important that rates of tag rejection are quantified. We double tagged over 45000 large-bodied, long-lived fish in a turbid lowland river in south-eastern Australia. During yearly recapture fish surveys, data on tag rejection were collected. We found that the probability of tag rejection varied as a function of fish species, tag type and tagger experience. Floy tags were more likely to be rejected as dart tags in large-bodied golden perch Macquaria ambigua (6 and 3% respectively), silver perch (18 and 4% respectively) and trout cod (19 and 7% respectively), whereas rates of rejection in the large-bodied Murray cod Maccullochella peelii were similar for both tag types (12 and 10% respectively). More experienced taggers had lower rates of rejection, which varied between 1 and 48% for individual taggers. We trialled three morphological locations for passive integrated transponder (PIT) tagging of fish, with rejection rates lowest for tags implanted in the stomach cavity and highest for those implanted in the pectoral musculature. This study presents the first tag rejection rates for dart, floy and PIT tags for lowland Australian river fish, information that can help guide future monitoring programs.

Spatial partitioning in the use of structural woody habitat supports the cohabitation of two cod species in a large lowland river

2016 ◽  
Vol 67 (12) ◽  
pp. 1835 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Lieschke ◽  
J. P. Lyon ◽  
P. D. Moloney ◽  
S. J. Nicol
Keyword(s):  
Lowland River ◽  
Specific Interactions ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Catch Per Unit Effort ◽  
Spatial Partitioning ◽  
Murray River ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
The Common ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Murray Cod

Many freshwater fish worldwide have been shown to use Structural Woody Habitat (SWH) for a variety of reasons. The mid reaches of the Murray River, a large lowland river in south-eastern Australia, was surveyed by boat electrofishing, to investigate the use of SWH type (hollows, rootmass and solids), SWH distance to bank (near bank, intermediate to bank and mid-channel) and the interaction between SWH type and distance to bank. The study found that Murray cod catch per unit effort (CPUE) increased in near-bank areas when hollows were a component of the SWH. The CPUE of trout cod was higher when hollows were present. However, the interactions between distance to bank and hollow SWH were complex and dependent on presence or absence of rootmass. The species-specific interactions between SWH microhabitat and distance to bank found within this study has important relevance for stream managers. The common practice of realigning SWH favours Murray cod over trout cod, which could have negative consequences for the endangered trout cod. More broadly, managers may need to consider a balance of SWH type and where it is placed in the river for the species they are targeting when rehabilitating rivers via the introduction of SWH.

scholarly journals Passive Integrated Transponder Tags: Review of Studies on Warmwater Fishes With Notes on Additional Species

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 353-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Chris Musselman ◽  
Thomas A. Worthington ◽  
Joshua Mouser ◽  
Desiree M. Williams ◽  
Shannon K. Brewer
Keyword(s):  
Smallmouth Bass ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Control Fish ◽  
Sample Sizes ◽  
Pit Tag ◽  
Passive Integrated Transponder ◽  
Pit Tags ◽  
Tag Retention ◽  
Half Duplex ◽  
Pit Tagging

Abstract Although numerous studies have assessed retention and survival of passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags, data are scattered and information gaps remain for many diminutive fishes. Our study objectives were to 1) systematically review PIT tag studies and summarize retention, growth, and survival data for warmwater fishes; and 2) conduct a laboratory study to evaluate the retention, survival, and growth effects of intracoelomic-placed, half duplex PIT tags on six small-bodied species common to warmwater streams. Our systematic review suggested small sample sizes were common within PIT tag retention and survival studies (39% with n ≤ 20) and that many experiments (15%, 14 of 97) failed to use control fish as part of their evaluations. Studies focused primarily on short-term changes (15 d to 2 y) in tag retention and survival. Tag retention was equal to or greater than 90% in 85% of the experiments reviewed and median survival was 92%. Growth was reported by fishes in the majority of reviewed studies. We found similar results after PIT tagging (peritoneum tagging using 12- or 23-mm half duplex tags) adult Cardinal Shiner Luxilus cardinalis, Central Stoneroller Campostoma annomalum, Greenside Darter Etheostoma blennioides, Orangethroat Darter Etheostoma spectabile, Slender Madtom Noturus exilis, and juvenile Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu. Tag retention for all species was high, with only one tag loss recorded after 60 d. Survival was also high (≥88%) for all of our species with the exception of Orangethroat Darter (56% survival). No significant difference in mean growth between treatment and control groups was found. Both our results and the findings of the literature review suggested generally high tag retention and low mortality in tagged fishes (across 31 species reviewed). However, within our study (e.g., Orangethroat Darter) and from the literature, examples of negative effects of PIT tagging on fishes were apparent, suggesting methodological testing is prudent before using PIT tags in field studies. We suggest future studies would benefit from addressing the behavioral implications that may be associated with tagging and examination of longer-term tag retention. Furthermore, standard reporting (i.e., sample sizes) in PIT tag studies would be beneficial, and use of control subjects or groups for statistical comparisons is needed.

Retention of radio tags in golden perch (Macquaria ambigua), silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus) and carp (Cyprinus carpio)

2009 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 334 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. O'Connor ◽  
J. D. Koehn ◽  
S. J. Nicol ◽  
D. J. O'Mahony ◽  
J. A. McKenzie
Keyword(s):  
Success Rate ◽  
Freshwater Fish ◽  
Peritoneal Cavity ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Radio Tracking ◽  
Tag Retention ◽  
Limited Success ◽  
Carp Cyprinus Carpio ◽  
Fish Survival ◽  
Rejection Rates

Radio tagging and tracking are widely used to study freshwater fish; however, details of fish survival or tag retention rates are rarely reported. The results from five independent tagging trials associated with different tag attachment methods are reported in the present study. Implanted peritoneal cavity tags were trialled for two native Australia freshwater fish species (golden perch and silver perch) and introduced carp. Oesophageal and external tags were also trialled on silver perch. The results from the peritoneal cavity implantation trials in golden perch, silver perch and carp achieved an overall success rate of 81% (after 315 days), 18% (after 200 days) and 43% (after 323 days) respectively. The external attachment of radio tags to silver perch had limited success with all fish either rejecting their tags or dying before 256 days. Silver perch trialled with oesophageal tags had an overall success rate of 25% after 200 days. The trials indicate that internal tagging is suitable for longer-term radio tracking of golden perch, but further developments are required for longer-term applications to silver perch and carp. Tag rejection rates are unlikely to be constant between species or through time and this variability should be incorporated into the study design to prevent bias.

Efficiency of electrofishing in turbid lowland rivers: implications for measuring temporal change in fish populations

2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 878-886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jarod P. Lyon ◽  
Tomas Bird ◽  
Simon Nicol ◽  
Joanne Kearns ◽  
Justin O’Mahony ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
River Discharge ◽  
Temporal Change ◽  
Capture Probability ◽  
Fish Length ◽  
Lowland River ◽  
Passive Integrated Transponder ◽  
Lowland Rivers ◽  
Radio Transmitters ◽  
Murray Cod ◽  
Over Time

To quantify how electrofishing capture probability varies over time and across physiochemical and disturbance gradients in a turbid lowland river, we tagged between 68 and 95 fish·year−1 with radio transmitters and up to 424 fish·year−1 with external and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags. We surveyed the site noninvasively using radiotelemetry to determine which of the radio-tagged fish were present (effectively closing the radio-tagged population to emigration) and then electrofished to estimate the proportion of available fish that were captured based on both this and standard mark–recapture methods. We replicated the electrofishing surveys three times over a minimum of 12 days each year, for 7 years. Electrofishing capture probability varied between 0.020 and 0.310 over the 7 years and between four different large-bodied species (Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii), trout cod (Maccullochella macquariensis), golden perch (Macquaria ambigua ambigua), and silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus)). River turbidity associated with increased river discharge negatively influenced capture probability. Increasing fish length increased detection of fish up to 500 mm for Murray cod, after which capture probability decreased. Variation in capture probability in large lowland rivers results in additional uncertainty when estimating population size or relative abundance. Research and monitoring programs using fish as an indicator should incorporate strategies to lessen potential error that might result from changes in capture probabilities.

scholarly journals Long-Term Retention of Passive Integrated Transponder Tags Injected into the Pelvic Girdle of Adult Walleye

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 593-596
Author(s):  
Jonathan R. Meerbeek
Keyword(s):  
Pelvic Girdle ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Passive Integrated Transponder ◽  
Pit Tags ◽  
Natural Lakes ◽  
Term Retention ◽  
Low Probability ◽  
Long Term Retention ◽  
Pit Tagging

Abstract We assessed long-term retention of passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags injected into the subcutaneous musculature between the pelvic fins of adult Walleye Sander vitreus via collecting fish from natural lakes in northwestern Iowa during April 2015, examining fish for the presence of an existing visual implant tag (used as secondary mark), implanting PIT tags in a representative subsample of previously marked fish, and recapturing fish during subsequent annual surveys. Of the 332 Walleye (range = 444–706 mm; mean total length = 544 mm; standard deviation = 43) PIT tagged in 2015, 87 of 88 (98.9%) recaptured from 1 to 4 y after tagging retained their tag. We captured 23 Walleye more than once (≥ 2 y after tagging) and all Walleye had retained their tag on their second or third recapture. This study and others demonstrate that the pelvic girdle was an effective PIT-tagging location for long-term studies evaluating adult Walleye population dynamics. In addition, the low probability of tags being encountered in fish fillets by anglers makes this a desirable tag location for Walleye studies where Walleye are often targeted for consumption. These studies collectively demonstrate that PIT tags inserted into the pelvic girdle of a range of Walleye sizes yield retention rates suitable for advanced population modeling or stocking evaluations.

Conservation Genetics of Corroboree Frogs, Pseudophryne-Corroboree Moore (Anura, Myobatrachidae) - Population Subdivision and Genetic-Divergence

1991 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 285 ◽  
Author(s):  
WS Osborne ◽  
JA Norman
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Divergence ◽  
Conservation Management ◽  
Geographic Distance ◽  
Genetic Distances ◽  
Population Subdivision ◽  
Southern Form ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Geographic Populations ◽  
Taxonomic Implications ◽  
Growth Abnormalities

Reproductive compatibility and population genetic structure were examined in the corroboree frog, Pseudophryne corroboree, a species restricted to montane and subalpine environments in south-eastern Australia. The species comprises three geographic populations, represented by two morphological forms. Hybridisation experiments showed that the allopatric populations are interfertile, although crosses between the Snowy Mountains population (southern form) and each of the two northern populations (northern form) resulted in a significantly higher number of tadpoles with growth abnormalities. An electrophoretic examination of metamorphlings indicated that there was considerable genetic divergence between the two forms, with several loci approaching fixation of alternate alleles. The Snowy Mountains population also had substantially reduced levels of genetic variation compared to the two northern populations. Although genetic distances generally correlate with geographic distance, the genetic differences between the northern and southern populations form a pronounced step, not explicable by geographic distance alone. These findings have taxonomic implications which should be taken into account when considering the conservation management of this uncommon species.

Modeling data from double-tagging experiments to estimate heterogeneous rates of tag shedding in lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush)

1999 ◽  
Vol 56 (8) ◽  
pp. 1409-1419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary C Fabrizio ◽  
James D Nichols ◽  
James E Hines ◽  
Bruce L Swanson ◽  
Stephen T Schram
Keyword(s):  
Lake Trout ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Salvelinus Namaycush ◽  
Wild Fish ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Type I ◽  
Tag Retention ◽  
Tag Loss ◽  
Modeling Data ◽  
Tag Shedding

Data from mark-recapture studies are used to estimate population rates such as exploitation, survival, and growth. Many of these applications assume negligible tag loss, so tag shedding can be a significant problem. Various tag shedding models have been developed for use with data from double-tagging experiments, including models to estimate constant instantaneous rates, time-dependent rates, and type I and II shedding rates. In this study, we used conditional (on recaptures) multinomial models implemented using the program SURVIV (G.C. White. 1983. J. Wildl. Manage. 47: 716-728) to estimate tag shedding rates of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and explore various potential sources of variation in these rates. We applied the models to data from several long-term double-tagging experiments with Lake Superior lake trout and estimated shedding rates for anchor tags in hatchery-reared and wild fish and for various tag types applied in these experiments. Estimates of annual tag retention rates for lake trout were fairly high (80-90%), but we found evidence (among wild fish only) that retention rates may be significantly lower in the first year due to type I losses. Annual retention rates for some tag types varied between male and female fish, but there was no consistent pattern across years. Our estimates of annual tag retention rates will be used in future studies of survival rates for these fish.

Genetic markers reveal high PIT tag retention rates in giant salamanders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis)

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 313-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shem D. Unger ◽  
Nicholas G. Burgmeier ◽  
Rod N. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effective ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Pit Tag ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
Pit Tags ◽  
Tag Retention ◽  
Cryptobranchus Alleganiensis ◽  
Genetic Tagging ◽  
Secondary Methods

Estimation of population size using mark-recapture (MRR) methods are based on the fundamental assumption that individuals retain their marks throughout the course of study. Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags are useful as a cost effective, reliable marking method in many amphibian and reptile species. Few studies however, use secondary methods to evaluate tag retention rates. Failure to do so can lead to biased population estimates, erroneous conclusions, and thus poor management decisions. Surprisingly, estimates of PIT tag retention are currently lacking for the majority of amphibian species, many of which are experiencing population declines. Herein, we use genetic tagging to assess the retention of PIT tags of the eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis). We captured and tagged 78 individuals across 35 sites. Recapture rate was 24% and genetic tagging revealed 100% tag retention across all recaptured individuals.

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