Caught a tagged tuna....

[Rhumbline]

Caught a tagged tuna on Monday on the SWC

Called in the info and here is the intel....

Tagged on 9/14/2004 off Rhode Island by Capt. Al Anderson of Prowler Charters.

Pretty cool stuff - tagged over three years ago.

You recieve a free hat and get entered into a $500 drawing for calling in the numbers.

Cheers.

- Rhumbline

[e-sea-e]

cool. any idea how big it was when it was tagged? how big was it when you caught it?

[jay]

Did you release it so more info could be gathered in the future?

[north coast]

that's cool .
At least now we know that some released fish survive.

[Rhumbline]

cool. any idea how big it was when it was tagged? how big was it when you caught it?

E- Good questions. The fish was 50" that I caught. Did not think to ask how big it was when it was tagged. If I have time on Friday I'll give them another ring and ask.

Did you release it so more info could be gathered in the future?

I did not release it. It was dressed and iced within minutes. The tag was about the size of a q-tip shaft. Nearly impossible to read it whilst on a live tuna. Pulling it out left a decent hole in the back. The meat around the the tag was not comprimised by the tag. The tag was a intended to be a single purpose tag - data only to be collected via a phone call, not like the more sophisticated tags which collect data over time.

At least now we know that some released fish survive.

Yes survival rates appear to be high according to the tagging operator. I asked about survival rates and the tagging operater was very upbeat about tuna survival rates after a rod/reel landing. I did ask if the fish was originally caught on a rod/reel and it was.

[amarshall]

I used to work at Snug Harbor marina 100 years ago.... Capt Al catches a LOT of fish.

[dcomte]

Thats great. Capt. Al has tagged thousands of fish over the years (not all tuna). I caught one of his tagged striped bass this summer on the piscataqua river. He is a great example of a good steward. Nice catch! Dan

[SeaHunt]

Nice to hear. Captain Al probably tags more tuna than any angler on the water, so It's no surprise it's his... I've fished with him out of Snugg Harbor a number of times over the years and NEVER got skunked.

[sage fly guy]

Nice to hear. Captain Al probably tags more tuna than any angler on the water, so It's no surprise it's his... I've fished with him out of Snugg Harbor a number of times over the years and NEVER got skunked.



If anyone tags more than the Prowler, I'd love to meet them.


chris

[CornerOffice]

Great to hear they survive after a release! I guess it all depends on how you fight them, land them and release them...

I started tagging this year and have 6 tags out there, not many considering others OTW but you have to start somewhere. I have been landing my fish to be tagged fish with a lip gaff, trying to focus the gaff in the lower outside of the jaw - makes for an added level of excitement while landing these puppies as well. I then lay the fish in the boat, cover the eyes with a wet rag, remove the hook, measure, and stick it with the tag. Depending on the excitement of the fish a torpedo release is used, if the fish looks tired and worn I use a sling I made out of dock lines to slow troll beside the boat till it takes off on its own power. I have only had to do this once.

Does anyone know the best spot for a gaff to increase the release rate? Any other techniques for a safe landing/release?

If your interested in the tagging program here is a link - fill out the form and you will have your Tag-a-tiny kit in a matter of weeks, if you run out of tags call and they will send you more.

Great way we can all add to the research - now we need a tax deduction on the reasearch costs!
http://www.tunalab.unh.edu/Tagatiny.htm

[backman]

I have released a tuna or 3. I would think if you were serious about tagging you would keep the fish in the water, control it on the leader, tag it in the water; then measure and remove the hook and release.

I have a hard time with the lip gaff, lift, lap dance, cradle, photo op and release being good for a tuna, but add in boating the fish, putting it on the deck, letting it beat against the deck; then hoisting it up for the release - thats a lot of stress on a tuna.

I think a school tuna's survival rate goes up exponentially the less you handle it.

[seanieb]

:rolleyes:
so were you eating the sushi as you were doing the research on the tag or what? ocean is a big place, there are lots of tuna out there...good for you on calling it it.

[twofinbluna]

I have released a tuna or 3. I would think if you were serious about tagging you would keep the fish in the water, control it on the leader, tag it in the water; then measure and remove the hook and release.

I have a hard time with the lip gaff, lift, lap dance, cradle, photo op and release being good for a tuna, but add in boating the fish, putting it on the deck, letting it beat against the deck; then hoisting it up for the release - thats a lot of stress on a tuna.

I think a school tuna's survival rate goes up exponentially the less you handle it.

I agree, backman. You might as well not release it if you are going to do all that to it before release, because the thing wont likely be surviving.

And the fact that a fish comes back with a tag does not mean that all these things live after release. Think about how many fish get tagged each year that do not get re-caught.

[twofinbluna]

And while we talked about it in another thread over the summer, I would never suggest gaffing any fish that you want to release. Some here have different views on the matter, thats just mine.

[twofinbluna]

Here is that thread I mentioned, from August:

http://www.reel-time.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57594

[Scotta1973]

Capt. Al on the Prowler nets his fish with a rubber net if I remember correctly and lays them on the deck on a wet towel, puts another towel (or the same one?) over their eyes, tags the fish, gets the data for the tag (a quick picture if you want one and I mean very quick) and then the fish goes back in the water head first like a torpeado, he has a book out on tagging fish.

http://www.prowlerchartersri.com/books.html

[dogfather]

Having worked for Capt. Al for quite a while, I can assure you that nearly every tagged fish is brought aboard for accurate measurement and DNA sampling. Anything that will fit in the net...fish to 125-pounds. They are back in the water in less than a minute. His recapture rate is on par with the international average (4%) so I don't believe they suffer too much from the handling out of the water.

The net is not rubber.
The fish is placed on a wetted carpet, eyes covered with a wet towel.
Washdown (low pressure high volume) hose placed in the mouth.
Tag strategically placed.
Fish accurately measured (CFL).
DNA finlet sampled.

Just the way Molly does it, although she prefers boats with doors and leaves the net at home. She's a believer of bringing them aboard for accurate data collection.

He's the best at tagging juveniles, just wish he'd work on his people skills. The only person I know who tags nearly as many is Cookie Murray.

[amarshall]

Interesting looking on al's website that his boat and business are for sale.