PIFG Oio Tagging Project
This project focused on locating offshore populations of oio, which were then targeted to be captured and held for tagging through the use of the traditional Hawaiian commercial fishing method, known locally as the deep water bag net fishing. This highly selective and effective fishing method is used for many schooling species and enables the targeted fish to be held alive and unharmed within the surround while allowing the unwanted fishes to be released alive in the process. This fishing method and proven high volume tagging methodology adopted from high volume tuna tagging projects and were successfully brought together in this first-of-a-kind tag and release research project.
Previous tagging efforts by an existing oio tagging project on Oahu focused primarily on opportunistic recreational fishing methods to deploy and recover tags. Recreational anglers targeted the nearshore shallow water flats and shoreline areas which resulted in primarily tagging only one of the two species of oio. This provides an incomplete picture of the status of the oio stock around Oahu. This new tagging project seeks to provide data that can help provide data that can help provide a broader prospective on the biological information and status of the oio stocks around Oahu.
Coordination and preparation of volunteers consisted of targeted scouting for schools of oio, conducting the fishing operation with real-time status updates to the project coordinator, real-time notification of volunteer tagging crew on the status of a tagging opportunity, transport of personnel and gear to the meeting site, deploying to tagging site via small vessels, and conducting the tag and release operation. A total of 3,000 oio were tagged during the project. Five oio were tagged during a trial tagging trip on February 18, 2011 and subsequently, 2,995 oio were tagged during 4 volunteer tagging events on March 26, 2011, May 15, 2011, July 1 2012, and July 22, 2012
Results
As of October 2016 there has been 86 oio tag recoveries reported. Short term tag recoveries (less than one year) indicate that the large nearshore schools of oio travel and freely intermix along the Waianae coast of Oahu, Hawaii. The species composition of the schools also showed that the schools can be species specific or mixed as well.
Longer term tag recoveries of over one year have shown travel beyond the Waianae area.
The longest distance traveled from Waianae was a tagged oio that was recaptured off of Iroquois Point, Pearl Harbor, travel of approximately 19 miles away. A couple of other tagged oio were recovered off of Kalaeloa, Barbers Point. It is interesting to start seeing growth rates and movement from longer term recaptures of over one year. This can provide very important information on the local oio resource.
Some growth rate information was generated from the short term recaptures where time at liberty ranged from 2 days to 169 days. Growth rates ranged from zero to 2.8 inches of growth. Future oio tag recoveries will yield more information on seasonal and perhaps temporal growth rates.
Oio Tag Recovery Information
If you catch an oio with a green PIFG dart tag, please give us a call at (808) 265-4962 or send an email to pacificfisheries@gmail.com with the following information:
Tag Number
Date of Capture
Time
Location
Species (round or sharp jaw, see example)
Fork Length measurement
Please remove and keep the tag for return until PIFG contacts you.
For recovering and reporting a PIFG tagged oio, you will receive a one of a kind oio t-shirt (artwork created by the late Mike Sakamoto) along with an informational letter stating the initial tagging information collected of when, where, and fork length.
We appreciate your help, support, and cooperation. Together we can help sustain our fisheries by getting involved with research efforts, by living the Fisherman’s Pledge and by fishing responsibly.
