www.oritag.org.za
What to do if you catch a fish with a tag
Measure the fish.
Take down the tag number (write it down or take a photo)
whatsapp or email the length (fork or total), location caught, tag number and date to:
+27 79 529 0711
Alternatively you can whatsapp the info to Nikki Smit, our environmental officer: 083 561 0921
Release the FISH.
Please take care never to handle any fish in or around its gills if you are intending releasing it.
Tagging is an important technique fishery biologists use to study individual aquatic animals (e.g. fish) or populations. They will generally tag or mark aquatic animals to obtain important information necessary for research or management. By reporting tagged or marked fish (i.e. a recapture), you can assist in:
1- Stock identification -determining whether stocks or sub-populations are connected and are being utilized for sport or commercial fisheries
2- Migrations – figuring out the path and distance of migration, rate of movement, and homing tendencies of a particular species
3- Behaviour – identifying factors that limit abundance such as habitat selection and intra- and inter-species interactions
4- Age – validating the age of fish, particularly for aging methods (e.g. counting growth rings on a scale) and determining growth rates
5- Mortality rates – following the effects of natural and fishing mortality on a fish population