Transfer Competition
January 4, 2005 -
TAG A Giant is Back in NC Waters for the 10th Season Tagging Bluefin Tuna
The objective of the Tag-A-Giant (TAG) program is to gain knew knowledge on the biology of bluefin tuna to reduce the uncertainties surrounding the management of bluefin in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. TAG uses a range of electronic tagging technologies to study the movements and behaviors of Atlantic bluefin tuna. TAG is meeting this objective by deploying tags in the eastern and western Atlantic. This research is establishing where and when bluefin tuna are spawning, and if they show site fidelity to the west or eastern breeding areas. We are also beginning to understand how the bluefin tuna movements change as the fish grow and how environmental variations affect their movements. This knowledge will improve stock assessments and subsequent management of bluefin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean. TAG data provide critical information about the biology of bluefin tuna in our west Atlantic waters. Our electronic tagging efforts in 2004 bring the total number of Atlantic bluefin tuna electronically tagged by the TAG team to 820.
Who We Are?
The tag team is made up of scientists from Stanford University, Duke University, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Our research is supported primarily by private funds and by occasional federal grants and contracts from the National Marine Fisheries Service. North Carolina vessels, in particular, have been instrumental in placing tags on the bluefin tuna off Morehead City and Hatteras, North Carolina. Fishermen play a key role in our team deploying and retrieving tags. To date, over 90% of the 820 electronic tags have been placed on fish off the coast occurred off the coast of North Carolina in winter months, often when weather and conditions are the worst along the eastern seaboard. In addition, we have deployed tags off the coasts of Massachusetts and Ireland and have worked with commercial fishers in Louisiana and Texas to deploy tags from longliners working in the Gulf of Mexico.
How Can You Participate?
Transfer the Tag team a fish and you’ll be on the scoreboard and eligible for prizes. TAG team scientists will be working on the water from January 4th- January 24th with the F/V Calcutta and F/V Last Deal. The goal is to tag 100 fish in the region. Check here for daily updates on the progress of the tag effort. If you hook up a fish, you can transfer the fish for tagging to the TAG surgery vessel by contacting the Captains of each boat. Come join us on the water in January 2005.
