Deep 7 Bottomfish Tagging

Bottomfish Tagging Program – Background

PIFG has been administering a tagging program for deep seven bottomfish species in the Hawaii archipelago since 2006. PIFG initiated a Guam bottomfish tagging project in 2011 as it continues to work with NOAA’s Cooperative Research Program (CRP) to build on efforts to collect scientific information on bottomfishing and bottomfish species in the Pacific Islands.

The Hawaii Bottomfish Tagging Project continues strong with 5,500 tags distributed to 24 bottomfish fishermen who caught and tagged 4,650 Deep-7 bottomfish throughout the main Hawaiian islands. Recoveries continue to mount with 80 bottomfish recaptured prior to the March 12, 2011 closure of the fishery. Of the 80 recaptures, 30 were opakapaka that were measured and re-released, which will give additional individual growth and travel information when recaptured.

The highlight of tag recaptures has been the travel of four opakapaka that moved between islands. Two traveled from south Molokai to the southwest side of Lanai. The other two were tagged on Penguin Banks with one being recaptured on the south side of Oahu and the other on the North shore of Oahu.

PIFG bottomfish tagging project, how it works: