North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

Given the opportunity to make suggestions about what things NT fishos would like to know about barramundi in the NT, what would you suggest?

Tagging allows collection of data about particular fish. Recapture of sufficient numbers of tagged fish enable trends to be observed and perhaps some conclusions drawn by the changes in the data over time. (Growth rates, migration, population etc).

Be mindful of the need to keep tagging uncomplicated and the data collection easy.

What role do u think incentives play in the reporting of recaptures?

Be interested in your thoughts.

No thoughts or changes to the current system that you'd like to see?

A chance to put something worthwhile back into NT fishing.

Those interested in being an active part of the NT Fisheries research effort, are invited to send me a pm please.

Window of opportunity is narrowing so remember later that you were asked.

Deleted a couple of posts here. If people don't want to be involved in tagging, then don't.

Re your question ronje, I think it's important to have an incentive to report captures, such as a couple of lures or similar prize. The lure companies are usually keen to support these things.

Shame you can't print on the tags: "For a free lure, return this to such and such." Has to be a bit of publicity about it.

Hi Ronje

Just wondering what you have to do with NT Fisheries?
And why aren,t they asking us to take part in this program.
I,m not having a shot here, just curious. All for useful data collection.

cheers
jeff

Dunno if you guys are aware but there has been a tagging programe in place for many many years, this programe allows you tag all sorts of fish all over australia. Maybe you should check it out !!

Hi KP/JF

Not re-inventing wheels. There has always been an open invitation for fishos to become involved in data collection for fish research in the NT. Some have. Most haven't.

Collecting data is one thing. Making use of it is a separate thing. Its the latter that this is about.

Couple of programs have been running in the NT for a while with the main beneficiary being the NT Fisheries Research division. eg Billy Taylor Barrawatch, MaCarthur River/King Ash Bay project, the golden snapper program, Daly River/Barra Classic.

The King Ash Bay project is a successful one with plenty of data collection through the efforts of the project managers (Info-Fish Services).

The Billy Taylor program is for the Roper and Victoria Rivers. Considering the number of barramundi in these 2 rivers, there's only very limited data available. Since this program started in 2000, there have been 3000 barra tagged and released in the Roper and 1000 tagged and released in the Victoria (AFANT report 2012). Only 207 have been reported as recaptures for both rivers in the intervening 12 years (17 per year. Not a lot from which to draw any conclusions).

All are worthwhile projects relying on data input by general fishing public.

However, there is no output for the general fishing public.

If you report a recapture, there's a free lure and info about the fish you caught. There's no info available about other recaptures to indicate migration, growth rates, population etc.

The systems appear to be designed for input process and not for outcomes. Similar to a black hole.

I can't think of any valid reason that all recapture data can't be published publicly and updated regularly/monthly. It'd be a very useful service for recreational fishos, tourism and industry participants.

There are other tagging programs apparently like the Adelaide River and golden snapper but fishos find it very difficult to get any info on them.

There are other places which are fished heavily by both recreational and tourism-industry participants for which there doesn't appear to be much in the way of monitoring by tagging going on.

It may be that some of the tourism lodges and/or fishing guides already have tagging practices to put something back into the resource. Or perhaps simply regular reporting of capture/release numbers. Anybody aware of any that do?

If the info isn't shared then how much confidence can anybody have in any decision making which uses "secret" info in deliberations? It may not be an intention but its most certainly an outcome especially when the decision isn't well received.

That's a bit of the background. Not any attempt to re-invent anything. Simply an idea to share what already exists.

I'd like to see an online interactive map of barra "recaptured" as each fish has its own story.

http://info-fish.net/king-ash-bay/what-have-we-learned/

Here is a link to the King Ash Bay project. There's a map (the last one) on some recaptures. Is that what you mean?

Here also is a Suntag map Bill puts out for recaptures of special interest.

Are these the types of maps you mean or something else?

Hey Ronje,
I've got a tag number from a barra I recaptured a few months ago in the NT. Who do I submit it to?

hottuna wrote:Hey Ronje,
I've got a tag number from a barra I recaptured a few months ago in the NT. Who do I submit it to?

if you send info AFANT can deal with
tag number
date caught
length
if it was kept or released
your name address
contact phone number or email


Yours Craig

Matt Flynn wrote:Deleted a couple of posts here. If people don't want to be involved in tagging, then don't.
I think it's important to have an incentive to report captures, such as a couple of lures or similar prize. The lure companies are usually keen to support these things.

Shame you can't print on the tags: "For a free lure, return this to such and such." Has to be a bit of publicity about it.

Messages are included on the tags but space is limited.

I understand that Victorian fisheries tags have a message that indicates send details for a reward.

The AFANT tags have a message "AFANT Tag Program report date, place and length to 1800 456 410 " plus the tag number.

we could change the wording for the next print run (will be a year or so) to include "Tag reward Ph AFANT 1800 456 410 report date, place and length" or something similar.

AFANT is in discussions with NT fisheries on looking at the tagging programs with a view of improving the information and reporting.