The 2007 Annual Report of the SC Marine Game Fish Tagging Program (file size 6M) is available in the Adobe PDF file format. Adobe® Reader® is required to open the file and is available as a free download from the Adobe® Web site.
The tagging program began in 1974, under the leadership of David Cupka, with a donation from the SC Saltwater Sportfishing Association. The program quickly found a home in the Office of Fisheries Management within the Marine Resources Division and became a key vehicle for promoting conservation through catch and release. Today it is the largest state sponsored public tagging program in the Southeastern United States, and is recognized as one of the top tagging programs worldwide. The enthusiasm of thousands of cooperating anglers who promote personal stewardship and responsible angling ethics has greatly contributed to the programs' success. In addition, anglers are helping to provide scientists with valuable information on marine game fish.
Tag kits, which include tags, applicator and instructions, are provided free of charge to anglers wishing to participate in the program. Once a fish is tagged, the angler, using a business reply postcard with the corresponding tag number, reports the tag date, location, species, and size. Anglers who tag and release 30 or more eligible species within a year will receive a conservation award.
Anglers who recapture a tagged fish are asked to report the recapture as soon as possible. The tag number, which is printed both at the base of the yellow streamer (above barb) and close to the end, should be recorded along with the mailing address. If possible, leave the tag intact. However, if there is no means of recording the tag number at the time of capture, clip off the tag number closest to the end leaving the rest of the tag intact and mail to the address printed on the streamer. Along with the tag number, the angler should give his or her name and address, the location and date of the recapture, and a measurement of the fish. In order for biologists to determine growth rate, an accurate measurement is important. The length measurement, which is a better indicator of fish size than weight, should be taken from the tip of the lower jaw to the tip of the tail. Any other information regarding the condition of the fish is also helpful.
In appreciation for reporting a tag recapture anglers receive a T-shirt or hat and both the angler who tagged the fish and the angler who reported the recapture receive a report that gives the history of the fish. Included in the report are the date, location, size, and angler who originally tagged the fish as well as equivalent information on the recapture.
Sea Science Publications have produced an Adobe PDF brochure on SC Marine Game Fish Tagging Program. Adobe® Reader® is required to open the file and is available as a free download from the Adobe® Web site.
