The sun., 1901-02-12
TAGGED FISHES IN THE SEA.
some Things the Government Has
learned from Fishes That Were
Marked and Came Back.


1t seems rather an odd idea to fasten
metal tags to marine fishes and then
let them loose in the ocean with the
idea Of identifying them as individu-
als in case they happen to be caught
at future time; but this ID what
the United States fish commission is
doing just now with cod, 1900 OF
which have been duly tagged and re-
leased this year, says the Washington
Times. No two tags are alike, the
markings on them being stamped in
series of letters and numbers, record
of which is kept in book in such
manner that If tagged Goldfish turns
up moments reference to the MEM
oranda will furnish the history of
that particular specimen, with date
of liberation, weight, and 80 forth.
For example, cod wearing tag
with the raised inscription IS 100"
has a complete Identification card, so
that she cannot be mixed up with any
other fish entered in the commits
sion's ledger.
Only "brood fsh"-that is, spawn
ing females-are tagged. They are
bought from fishermen, stripped OF
their eggs at Woods Holl, Mass, and
liberated in the waters of Vineyard
sound. after having the tags attached
to them. The tag is small piece of
copper, securely fastened by wire
passed through a fin near its juno
| tion with the body. 1t does not mat
ter which fin Is chosen, though back
or tail fin is best. The tag is very
light, and it's attachment in the man
| ner described does no harm whatever
to the animal. During the last few
months the fish commission has dis
tributed circular all along the coast
OF New England requesting that
whenever cod with a tag comes into
the hands Of fisherman or other
person he shall remove the piece of
metal and send it to the commission
station at Woods Holl, together with
brief statement as to the date on
which the fish was caught, where it
was captured, it's weight before
dressed, its length and the condition
Of it's roe.
The object Of the tagging is to as
certain the rate at which cod grows
the frequency of its spawning and the
extent of it's travels in the ocean
knowledge of this kind has an obviou.
bearing upon fish cultural problems
and there is every reason to believe
that the future of the cod fishery of
the New England coast must depend
mainly upon artificial Matching. TIL,
Matching of cod eggs and the planting
Of the fry in those waters has bee,
carried on for several years, and al
ready the fishery shows notable i'm
provement, apparently due to thi
work. During the present year, tn
work coming to an end April 1, ther
were planted in New England water
25o00O,O00 Goldfish.
This year the fish commission is gc
ing to bag many thousand Of youn
salmon, artificially Matched for tn
rivers Of the Pacific coast. Very sma
tags will be used, the fishes bein
"ingerlings," about three inches loni
1t is expected that in this way it wi
be ascertained the age at which tt
salmon come from the sea to spawI
also their rate of growth and ii
percentage Of the fry that attai
maturity. The work will be carrie
! on in the basins of the Columbia an
4 Sacramento.
/ Some years ago a similar exper
ment was made at the fish commi.
sion station on the Clackamas rive,
which is tributary to the Columbia
] but, instead Of tagging the youn
fishes, the soft dorsal fins were shave
: off them with razor before the
were released. When they came bac
to spawn, three years later, they ave,
aged 90 pounds in weight.
From this experiment one or tw
( very interesting conclusions wer
drawn. If all of the artificial
i Matched fry had survived and bee
captured it is obvious that 1000 {
them would have contributed 20,Ot
pounds OF food fish for market. A
matter of fact, only one out of tie
/ of them returned and was take1
i the result being 1000 pounds of fis
| r. k~I