On a nearly picture perfect day, 60 anglers from New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania departed Atlantic Highlands, NJ on the annual Littoral Society Fluke Tagging Trip. This year's trip was in memory of the Society's long-time Fish Tagging Director Jeff Dement. Aboard the Mi-Jo II, participants were carried to New York's Atlantic Beach Reef, where they caught more than 200 fish and tagged 120 fluke. The largest fluke hauled in measured over 18 inches. That fish, along with seven other keepers, were tagged and released. For experienced taggers and novices alike, the trip offered a great opportunity for novices to learn from experienced taggers. While tagging or marking animals has long been an accepted biological method for monitoring wildlife, it is even more important for fish because, unlike other animals, they spend almost their entire lives out of the sight of the researchers trying to learn about them. Our tagging data are transferred to the database of the National Marine Fisheries Service Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA. When you tag a fish for the American Littoral Society, you can be sure the information gained is put to good use. To tag fish for the Littoral Society, you must be 18 years or older and a member of the Society. Once a member, new taggers receive a packet of information about how to get started, along with access to our tagging staff, who are available to answer questions. Taggers purchase tag kits from the Society for $6 per set, including a set of 10 tags, 10 data cards, an applicator needle and instructions. Membership dues and the tag kits are tax deductible, shipping costs are not. For information on upcoming Fish Tagging Program events, contact Emily McGuckin, the Society's Fish Tagging Director, at [email protected]. Comments are closed.
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