North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission
International High Seas Tagging Research

Contents

Project Overview

About Tags

Disk Tags
Several types of plastic disk tags have been placed on salmon and steelhead. These disk tags are about 3/4" (19 mm) in diameter and each is imprinted with a unique identification number.

Electronic Tags
 Several types have been placed on salmon and steelhead.

• blue hexagonal tag (Fig. 2A; records water temperature)
• green rectangular tag (Fig. 2B; records water temperature and fish swimming depth)
• electronic cylindrical tag (Fig. 2C; records water temperature and fish swimming depth)
• white cylindrical tag (Fig. 2D; records water temperature, fish swimming depth, and salinity)
   

Fig. 1.  Disk tags.
	Fig. 2.  Electronic tags.

What to do if you catch a tagged fish

1. collect tag (if tag cannot be collected then record tag number and description)

2. record catch location, date, time, species, sex, length, weight, fishing gear

3. collect scales for age and growth information

4. send the tags and other information to one of addresses below. Make sure to include your name, address, and a phone number, so we can send you your tag recovery reward and provide you with information on when and where in the ocean your fish was tagged and released. Or call one of the contact numbers listed below.

 To see our tag return poster for details (in English, Japanese, Korean, or Russian) click here.

Addresses for Tag Returns

Fukuwaka et al. 2007. Recoveries of high-seas tags in 2006-2007, and tag releases and recoveries of fin-clipped salmon in 2007 from Japanese Research Vessel Surveys in the North Pacific Ocean. NPAFC Doc 1042.

Walker, R.V. 2007.  International Cooperative Salmon Tagging Study Funded by the North Pacific Research Board. NPAFC Newsletter No. 22: 6-7.

Walker, R.V., J.H. Helle, K.W. Myers, N.D. Davis, J.M. Murphy, S. Urawa, O.S. Temnykh, V.V. Sviridov, and V.G. Fedorenko. 2006. NPAFC Salmon Tagging. North Pacific Research Board Final Report 204, 37 p.