Tarpon Conventional Tagging Program

The University of Miami tarpon conventional anchor tagging program began in 2006 to complement the successful satellite-PAT tagging program. Prior to August 2007, the fiscal support for this program had been small. Less than 650 tags were distributed over the 2 years, with only 33 tarpon reported tagged. In 2008 we developed a new partnership with BTT that allowed us to extensively expand the program’s outreach. More than 1,000 anchor tags and more than 100 custom-made tagging stocks were distributed to 109 volunteers across the southern United States, with a principal focus on the Florida Fishery. This has resulted in great success with more than 65 tarpon reported tagged this year to date, and 95 since the program’s inception, with this number growing by the day. We expect that continuation of this program will soon result in the substantial recordings of recaptured tarpon. This will provide invaluable data on tarpon movements and migration patterns across both state and international boundaries.

To date, the 2007-2008 program has proven to be extremely successful with more than 65 tarpon tags reported deployed in 2008 and more than 95 tags deployed since the program’s inception. The number of tag sticks and tags now in the hands of guides and anglers now exceeds 109 participants ranging over a broad range of fishing locations including the Keys, coastal Florida, Gulf Coast, and other areas of the USA and beyond. With this unprecedented level of cooperation we expect that the program’s continuation and expansion will soon begin to achieve a steady rate of recaptures that will allow us to obtain broad insights into the home range and migration patterns of tarpon. Also importantly it will allow us to determine the stock connectivity across state boarders within the US, and on an international scale between countries such as the US, Mexico, Central and South American nations. This vital information will help direct management strategies at regional and international level, working to sustain the resource and maximize the economic and ecological potential of this highly important sport fish.

For more information contact Dr. Jerry Ault ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or visit Dr. Ault's web site (http://bonefishresearch.com)