The CCA, a conservation based group of anglers, started a volunteer tagging program back in the mid ’80’s due to the gamefish status of red drum, now commonly called redfish.
The LDWF took a look some years later, and realized that the data gathering potential of even a fraction of the 500,000 recreational anglers out there on the water could have huge benefits. The public can contribute to the resources as citizen scientists, tagging fish that they intend to release, and turning in the data cards associated with those tags.
The LDWF has done just that, recruiting many volunteer anglers and commissioning them to tag as many saltwater fish as possible. With the data from returned tags, migration patterns, habitat use and population estimates are all possible. The more tags that are put out there, the greater the confidence level is in the effectiveness of regulations and management. Since 1985, there have been over 160,000 fish tagged and released. This has greatly increased the ability of the LDWF to expand its tagging goals beyond what could normally be accomplished or afforded.
Tagged fish go into a database, and if a fish is recaptured, the anglers record the tag number, fish size, general location and date. The angler who tagged it not only finds out about “their” fish, but also gets a certificate with the pertinent stats of the fish’s movements and growth.
There are several more tagging programs that involve different tags. Whale sharks are tagged with satellite tags and trout are implanted with telemetry tags that send out signals as the fish passes one of ninety receivers in Lake Pontchartrain.
This type of tag allows scientists to get more data about the fish’s travel than a standard tag that only confirms two points and nothing in between. Telemetry tags are surgically implanted in fish and these fish are also tagged externally with a blue tag to designate that this fish carries a high-tech internal tag.
Taggers can sign up and get ten tags and a handmade applicator. They teach them what factors to record and how to insert the tag securely, while maintaining the health of the fish.
The focus for now is on redfish, speckled trout, yellowfin tuna and red snapper.
The telemetry data shows so much more movement than traditional tags, and anglers want to help learn where the fish are traveling so that they can learn their patterns in order to catch them better. It gives some anglers a renewed reason to be fishing. After they keep what they want for dinner, they can keep fishing and tag and release, having more fun and benefiting the sport for everyone. The tagging program has also built an important relationship between the fishing public and the biologist staff who work these projects.
The LDWF has increased its efforts to involve anglers by holding large catch and release tournaments, much like already popular fishing circuits. The participation has been great and the program is expanding rapidly. Anglers are encouraged to bring all eligible fish for study and release during the tournaments. All entry fees are paid back out 100 percent as prizes to the winners.
