Tagging methods and associated data analysis

Tagging methods have a long history of use as tools to study animal populations. Although the first attempts to mark an animal occurred sometime between 218 and 201 B.C. (a Roman officer tied a note describing plans for military action to the leg of a swallow and when the bird was released it returned to its nest, which was in close proxiD?ity to the military outpost in need of the information), it is uncertain when fish : ere first marked (McFarlane, Wydoski and Prince, 1990). An early report published 1? The_ Comp/eat Angler in 1653 by Isaak Walton described how private individuals tied ribbons to the tails of juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and ultimately determined that Atlantic salmon returned from the sea to their natal river (Walton and (otton, ~ 898; McFarlane, Wydoski and Prince, 1990). Since the late 1800s, numerous fish tagging experiments have been conducted with an initial emphasis on salmonids followed soon after by successful attempts at tagging flatfish and cod. Pelagic species, namely Pacific herring (Clupea harengus pallasi) and bluefin tuna (Thrmnus thynnus) Were successfully tagged in the early 1900s, while elasmobranch tagging studies did not commence until the 1930s. Since 1945, large-scale tagging programmes have been initiated all over the world in an effort to study the biology and ecology of fish populations. Modern tagging studies can be separated into two general categories. Tag-recovery studies are those in which individuals of the target population(s) are tagged, released, and subsequently killed upon recapture, as in a commercial fishery; while capture-recapture studies are designed to systematically tag, release and recapture individuals on multiple sampling occasionshttps://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsbooks/1025/thumbnail.jp

Use of pop-up satellite archival tag technology to study postrelease survival of and habitat use by estuarine and coastal fishes: an application to striped bass (Morone saxatilis)

Pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) have been used to study movements, habitat use, and postrelease survival of large pelagic vertebrates, but the size of these tags has historically precluded their use on smaller coastal species. To evaluate a new generation of smaller PSATs for the study of postrelease survival and habitat use of coastal species, we attached Microwave Telemetry, Inc., X-tags to ten striped bass (Morone saxatilis) 94–112 cm total length (TL) caught on J hooks and circle hooks during the winter recreational fishery in Virginia. Tags collected temperature and depth information every five minutes and detached from the fish after 30 days. Nine of the ten tags released on schedule and eight transmitted 30% to 96% (mean 78.6%) of the archived data. Three tags were physically recovered during or after the transmission period, allowing retrieval of all archived data. All eight striped bass whose tags transmitted data survived for 30 days after release, including two fish that were hooked deeply with J hooks. The eight fish spent more than 90% of their time at depths less than 10 m and in temperatures of 6–9°C, demonstrated no significant diel differences in depth or temperature utilization (P>0.05), and exhibited weak periodicities in vertical movements consistent with daily and tidal cycles

The trophic dynamics of summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) in Chesapeake Bay

Data on the trophic dynamics of fishes are needed for management of ecosystems such as Chesapeake Bay. Summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) are an abundant seasonal resident of the bay and have the potential to impact foodweb dynamics. Analyses of diet data for late juvenile and adult summer flounder collected from 2002−2006 in Chesapeake Bay were conducted to characterize the role of this flatfish in this estuary and to contribute to our understanding of summer flounder trophic dynamics throughout its range. Despite the diversity of prey, nearly half of the diet comprised mysid shrimp (Neomysis spp.) and bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli). Ontogenetic differences in diet and an increase in diet diversity with increasing fish size were documented. Temporal (inter- and intra-annual) changes were also detected, as well as trends in diet reflecting peaks in abundance and diversity of prey. The preponderance of fishes in the diet of summer flounder indicates that this species is an important piscivorous predator in Chesapeake Bay

Spatial differences in estuarine utilization by seasonally resident species in Mid-Atlantic Bight, USA

Climate-driven distributional shifts have been well-documented for fisheries resources along the East Coast of the United States, yet little attention has been given to adjacent estuarine systems. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the continental United States and serves as important habitat for a diversity of fishes and invertebrates, many of which are seasonal residents. Survey data indicate that relative abundance of finfish in Chesapeake Bay has diminished substantially, while coastwide stock status has remained unchanged. In response to warming, seasonal estuarine residents may remain in coastal waters or inhabit a northerly estuary, but the extent to which changing environmental conditions may drive exchange between the coastal ocean and estuarine systems remains unresolved. This study analyzed data collected from 2008 to 2019 by three fisheries-independent trawl surveys to explore temporal patterns and associated environmental drivers of the estuarine–coastal ocean exchange in the Mid-Atlantic for eight economically and ecologically important species. Relative habitat utilization of Chesapeake Bay declined for most species, while utilization patterns for Delaware Bay were largely constant or increasing over time. Broad-scale, multispecies analyses of relative habitat utilization time series revealed that the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) was an important driver of Chesapeake Bay exchange, but that average Apr/May coastal ocean bottom temperature was significant for Delaware Bay. Collectively, the results demonstrate that several Mid-Atlantic species have altered their estuarine habitat use over time, climate drivers associated with estuarine–coastal ocean exchange operate on different time scales, and that the impacts of warming within the Mid-Atlantic vary spatially

Spatiotemporal trends and drivers of fish condition in Chesapeake Bay

Measures of condition in fishes are often used to assess the general well-being of fish populations since condition reflects the biotic and abiotic factors experienced by individuals over moderate time scales. Fish condition can also be used as an indicator of ecosystem suitability in the context of ecosystem-based management. From an ecosystem perspective, evaluation of fish condition is best described over multiple spatiotemporal scales and in a multi-species context. This study analyzed 14 yr (2002-2015) of fisheries-independent trawl survey data to evaluate trends in condition for 16 demersal fishes inhabiting Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the USA. Seasonal and spatial variability in condition were inferred from linear mixed-effects models, while dynamic factor analysis (DFA) was used to reveal coherence among and drivers of annual trends in condition across all species and for 3 subgroups representing trophic guilds. Patterns of intra-annual condition varied among species, likely reflecting life history strategies and physiological responses to seasonal environmental conditions, while spatial patterns showed improved condition for both coastal and oligohaline species with increasing distance from their source. Annual trends in condition showed remarkable coherence for all fishes and for species within each trophic guild, suggesting that factors influencing condition-based indicators of ecosystem suitability operate at the community level. Spring mean surface chl a concentration was included in the selected DFA model for nearly all groups (exception: benthivores) and was statistically significant for several species, indicating the importance of bottom-up processes on bay-wide annual fish condition

Evaluation of Striped Bass Stocks in Virginia: Monitoring and Tagging Studies, 2022 Progress Report

This report presents the results of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) tagging and monitoring activities in Virginia during the period 1 December 2020 through 30 November 2021. It includes an assessment of the biological characteristics of striped bass taken from the 2021 spring spawning run and estimates of annual survival and fishing mortality based on annual spring tagging. The information contained in this report is required by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and is used to implement a coordinated management plan for striped bass in Virginia, and along the eastern seaboard

ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT - 2006 Data collection and analysis in support of single and multispecies stock assessments in Chesapeake Bay: The Chesapeake Bay Multispecies Monitoring and Assessment Program

Historically, fisheries management has been based on the results of single-species stock assessment models that focus on the interplay between exploitation level and sustainability. There currently exists a suite of standard and accepted analytical frameworks (e.g., virtual population analysis (VPA), biomass dynamic production modeling, delay difference models, etc.) for assessing the stocks, projecting future stock size, evaluating recovery schedules and rebuilding strategies for overfished stocks, setting allowable catches, and estimating fishing mortality or exploitation rates. A variety of methods also exist to integrate the biological system and the fisheries resource system, thereby enabling the evaluation of alternative management strategies on stock status and fishery performance. These well-established approaches have specific data requirements involving biological (life history), fisheries-dependent, and fisheries-independent data (Table 1). From these, there are two classes of stock assessment or modeling approaches used in fisheries: partial assessment based solely on understanding the biology of a species, and full analytical assessment including both biological and fisheries data

Chesapeake Bay Trophic Interactions Laboratory Services (CTILS): : project RF 05-12, June 2003-June 2006, Final Report

Stomach samples or whole fish were obtained from a network of up to eight participating fisheries surveys in the Chesapeake Bay area. Field supplies and sample transport were provided by CTILS. Whole fish were processed for length, weight, and sex determination. Stomachs were removed and analyzed in the laboratory and prey types determined. In support of ecosystem-based fisheries management, estimates of locationspecific diet composition were produced for each species. Comparisons of dietary habits of each species among a range of habitats in the Bay and throughout various time frames were made

Evaluation of Striped Bass Stocks in Virginia: Monitoring and Tagging Studies, 2020 Progress Report - 1 December 2019 - 30 November 2020

This report presents the results of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) tagging and monitoring activities in Virginia during the period 1 December 2019 through 30 November 2020. It includes an assessment of the biological characteristics of striped bass taken from the 2020 spring spawning run and estimates of annual survival and fishing mortality based on annual spring tagging. The information contained in this report is required by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and is used to implement a coordinated management plan for striped bass in Virginia, and along the eastern seaboar

Evaluation of Striped Bass Stocks in Virginia: Monitoring and Tagging Studies, 2021 Progress Report - 1 December 2020 - 30 November 2021

This report presents the results of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) tagging and monitoring activities in Virginia during the period 1 December 2020 through 30 November 2021. It includes an assessment of the biological characteristics of striped bass taken from the 2021 spring spawning run and estimates of annual survival and fishing mortality based on annual spring tagging. The information contained in this report is required by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and is used to implement a coordinated management plan for striped bass in Virginia, and along the eastern seaboard