Since the inception of the Society's Fish Tagging Program in 1965, more than 640,000 fish have been tagged by our volunteer taggers.
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More than 5% of those tagged fish have been recaptured. Every April 15, the data that has been gathered over the previous 12 months is sent to the National Marine Fisheries Service, at Woods Hole, MA, and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
Originally, the Society focused its tagging efforts towards coastal Atlantic sharks. During the early 1970's, in response to a precipitous decline in striped bass stocks, the Society's Fish Tagging Program decided to switch its target species to striped bass, and other fishes of the littoral zone, such as; summer flounder, bluefish, tautog and black seabass. Currently the program has more than 1,000 active taggers who tag more than 15,000 fish per year. If you'd like to become a tagger yourself, please contact Fish Tagging Program Director Jeff Dement at jeff@littoralsociety.org or call 732-291-0055 |
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Why Tag Fish?
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Tagging or marking animals has long been an accepted biological method for monitoring wildlife; birds are banded on their legs, black bears and grizzly bears carry radio transmitters, as do sea turtles. Even monarch butterflies have been banded with delicate mylar patches. The reason for doing this is to tell one creature from another so its daily movements or seasonal migrations can be studied and rates of growth can be learned.
Using various marking methods, scientists have found the wintering grounds of the monarch butterfly in Mexico, pinned down the summer and winter ranges of polar bears, arctic terns, and red knots, and the breeding grounds of some marine turtles. Fish marking or tagging is also an accepted method of study. Sometimes marine biologists clip fins of stocked fish to keep track of them. Shortnosed sturgeon, an endangered species, have swum in their coastal river haunts with radio transmitters telling all. For studying menhaden (pogy), an internal metal tag has been used, to be picked up by a magnet at the processing plant where the fish are ground and cooked. Tagging is even more important for fishes because, unlike other animals, they spend almost their entire lives out of the sight of the researchers trying to learn about them. For example, biologists may need to find out the movements of striped bass after spawning in the Nanticoke River, a tributary of the Chesapeake. To help find out, they would set nets in the river after spawning and then capture, tag, and release 1000 striped bass, and track returns on these fish during the rest of the season into late fall. Likewise, fisheries biologists on the West Coast would tag salmon from selected streams and watch for those salmon to return to their natal streams to spawn 2-5 years later. With enough tagging data, they could estimate the percentage of fish that returned and gauge a mortality rate for the fish spawned in that stream. Our tagging program aids scientists, too. All of 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. |
Littoral Society
Tagging Data
Blue Fish Study
Summer Flounder Study
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Become a Tagger
Become an American Littoral Society fish tagger. You can learn how YOUR fish grow and where they go. Plus, you will contribute data needed to protect and preserve fish for your generation, and generations to come. Fish tagging memberships include a one year membership in the Society, and two tagging starter kits (10 tags, 10 data cards, 1 applicator needle in each) and all the instructions you need to start tagging fish.
To tag fish for the American Littoral Society, you must be 18 years or older and a member of the Society. Annual membership is $40 for an individual or $50 for an entire family. Charter captains and their onboard customers can also participate for the family rate of $50. 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 (postage included.) Membership dues and the tag kits are tax deductible.
In addition to tagging on your own time, we run a variety of tagging trips throughout the year including overnight trips to Rhode Island for fishing off Block Island, and fluke tagging trips in Raritan Bay near Sandy Hook. We also offer surf fishing clinics if you or members of your family would like to learn how to fish the surf. You can check out these opportunities on our field trip webpages.
For First-Time Taggers:
Fish tagging memberships include one-year membership in the Society, and two tagging starter kits (10 tags, 10 data cards, 1 applicator needle in each) and all the instructions you need to start tagging fish. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to purchase multiple tag kits without needles for $6 each. Membership and tag kits are tax deductible.
$40 individual membership + $14 for tag kits + $4 shipping = $58
Don't want to pay online? Click here to print off our form and mail in with your check.
Renewing Taggers:
You can renew your membership online on our membership page or by downloading the form above.
If you have other questions or concerns, contact Jeff Dement, our fish tagging program director at 732-291-0055 x106 or jeff@littoralsociety.org.
To tag fish for the American Littoral Society, you must be 18 years or older and a member of the Society. Annual membership is $40 for an individual or $50 for an entire family. Charter captains and their onboard customers can also participate for the family rate of $50. 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 (postage included.) Membership dues and the tag kits are tax deductible.
In addition to tagging on your own time, we run a variety of tagging trips throughout the year including overnight trips to Rhode Island for fishing off Block Island, and fluke tagging trips in Raritan Bay near Sandy Hook. We also offer surf fishing clinics if you or members of your family would like to learn how to fish the surf. You can check out these opportunities on our field trip webpages.
For First-Time Taggers:
Fish tagging memberships include one-year membership in the Society, and two tagging starter kits (10 tags, 10 data cards, 1 applicator needle in each) and all the instructions you need to start tagging fish. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to purchase multiple tag kits without needles for $6 each. Membership and tag kits are tax deductible.
$40 individual membership + $14 for tag kits + $4 shipping = $58
Don't want to pay online? Click here to print off our form and mail in with your check.
Renewing Taggers:
You can renew your membership online on our membership page or by downloading the form above.
If you have other questions or concerns, contact Jeff Dement, our fish tagging program director at 732-291-0055 x106 or jeff@littoralsociety.org.
