 TagTimes
March 2017
Welcome to the latest edition of Tag Times!
This newsletter has the latest information on interesting recapture movements of tagged fish. If you don't want to receive this information please click unsubscribe at the bottom of the email.
Big South Australian Kingfish Recaptured
One of the largest kingfish ever tagged under the program has been recaptured and let go for a second time! Scott Lihou released the giant 153cm king whilst fishing off Greenly Island, SA, on 16 February 2014 aboard Saily. The fish ate a live bait and despite being deep hooked, was released in good condition by Scott. Over 3 years (1104 days) later, the big kingfish has been recaptured and released by Richard Kozuszko aboard Overdraft whilst fishing at the same location as its original release.
Longest at Liberty Kingfish
A yellowtail kingfish tagged by Patrick Schofield of Eden Sports & Game Fishing Club boat Shockwave on 11 November 2005 has recently been recaptured! The kingfish was caught by Port Macquarie GFC boat Reel Trouble whilst fishing off Forster, NSW, on 27 January 2017. The Reel Trouble crew decided to keep the large kingfish for the bbq and it was not until they were filleting the fish that they noticed the tag (a small dolphinfish tag) which was completely grown over by the fish's muscle tissue. After 4095 days (11 years) at liberty the kingfish had grown from 65cm and an estimated 2.5 kg to 130cm and approximately 20kg. The kingfish, having spent over 11 years at liberty, has smashed the previous record for time at liberty for the species which was just under seven years for a fish which was tagged in Sydney and recaptured at Terrigal.
South Coast Mako Recapture
A mako shark tagged by Port Hacking GFC junior angler Reece Cokun while fishing the Jervis Bay GFC Whitesands tournament last November has been recaptured off Bermagui, NSW. Reece tagged the mako aboard Mr Magoo and estimated the shark at 70kg and 180cm. Eighty-six days after its release, Bermagui BGAC boat Looney Tunes re caught the shark whilst fishing the 12 Mile Reef. The fish was weighed at 85kg and was estimated at 190cm in length after having travelled 92 nautical miles in a south-southwesterly direction from Jervis Bay to Bermagui.
Five days at liberty Sailfish
During a recent hot bite off Weipa (QLD), Darryl French, fishing aboard Weipa Billfish Club boat Wine Down tagged a sailfish estimated at 20kg (pictured) on 17 December. Five days later Linda Jay fishing aboard another Weipa Bilfish Club boat Get N Any captured the same fish in the same area whilst fishing with her husband Duane. In the space of a week in December 2016, four boats tagged 32 sailfish and two black marlin in seven boat fishing days.
First Reported Marlin Recapture for 2017!
A juvenile black marlin recently released by Neil Croft aboard Newcastle & Port Stephens GFC boat Old Mate on 31 January has been recaptured. The small marlin released off Gibber Reef, Port Stephens, was recaptured and re released off Jervis Bay by Ian Osterloh, fishing aboard Fisho. After 21 days at liberty the fish had traveled a straight line distance of 162 nautical miles in a south-southwesterly direction and was reported in excellent condition. Ian managed to re-tag the fish which he measured at 155cm (LJFL) and estimated at 28kg. This is consistent with Neil's measurement of 145cm (LJFL) and 25kg estimate.
South Coast Striped
One day after the first marlin recapture of the season was reported, Chris Cassar reported the first recapture of a striped marlin for 2016. Chris was fishing aboard the Green Hornet with Matt Cassar and crew when Matt caught the tagged striped marlin. The estimated 110kg fish was originally released by Shellharbour GFC boat Rush on 20 April 2016 whilst fishing off Culburra on the south coast of NSW. After travelling a straight line distance of 83 nautical miles during 308 days at liberty, the the fish was released for a second time following a short encounter with the Green Hornet.
It is interesting to note that three other tag cards have reached the office this year for tagged billfish where an existing tag was sighted on the fish but the anglers were unable to retrieve the tag. Please keep us updated with fish that you saw were tagged but were unable to retrieve the tag from. It is still useful to log this information so that we can get a better overall estimate on the number of recaptures that are taking place.
T-shirt Competition
Send us your photos!!! - Game Fish Tagging Program T-shirt competition
We love getting photos of correctly tagged game fish species, especially photos with the fish being released in excellent condition. Please email photos to gamefish.tagging@dpi.nsw.gov.au and at the end of April, the tagging angler who provides the best photo will win a Tagging Program T-shirt. Please let us know if you are happy for us to share your photo in this newsletter or on our Facebook page.
Reporting Recaptures
If you do happen to catch a tagged fish be sure to report it either over the phone on (02) 44247423 or online by using the online recapture form linked below.
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/resources/fish-tagging/game-fish-tagging/gamefish-recapture
Each recapture provides vital information essential to improving the understanding and management of valuable game fish and sport fish species. Details of the distance that the fish travelled and its growth are sent to the anglers who first tagged the fish and the anglers who recaptured it. A recapture certificate is also issued, along with a small reward for those really exciting recaptures!
This is a great time to remind everyone to return their tag cards to their local gamefishing club or back to the Tagging Program. We are still awaiting the original release information for many species from past seasons. Please have a look around and send back your completed cards, even if they are several years old as they may still match up with recaptured fish that we have on the database.
The NSW DPI Game Fish Tagging Program issues tags free of charge and works in close association with the NSW Game Fishing Assoc, the Game Fishing Assoc of Aust and the ANSA (NSW Branch). The program is run using funds from the NSW Recreational Fishing Trusts. Over 445,000 fish have been tagged under the program so far. If you would like to get involved in the program, please phone (02) 4424 7423 or email gamefish.tagging@dpi.nsw.gov.au.
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