Effectiveness of four methods for tagging juveniles of farm-reared gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata, L. |
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| Authors: | A Sánchez-Lamadrid |
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| Institution: | Centro de Investigación y Cultivo de Especies Marinas 'El Toruño', El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz, Spain |
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| Abstract: | This study tested different tags for each size of farm-reared gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata L. juveniles, used in enhancement programmes. The following tags were tested: dye mark, fingerling tag, opercular tag, anchor tag A (filament diameter of 1.20 mm) and anchor tag B (0.85 mm). Tag/mark retention, wounds produced by the tag, ease of application, ease of detection and cost were examined. Epidermal dye marks had poor retention and detection rates. Of the tags tested, retention was greater for the anchor tag A (80–100%) after 7 months; anchor tag B showed a retention rate of only 20% after 3 months. The fingerling tag had a retention rate of 27.5% after 12 months. The opercular tag had a retention rate of 44% after 20 days but fractured the opercular bone in many cases. Tag incisions and wounds persisted in some fish for the duration of the experiment. |
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| Keywords: | anchor tag dye marking fingerling tag opercular tag Sparus aurata |
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