Most of the fish tagging activity summarized in Figure 1 occurs within the anadromous fish migration and spawning areas of the Columbia and Snake Rivers (Figure 2.) The majority of the fish receiving a tag or mark are hatchery origin Chinook salmon. Figure 2. PIT tagged fish release and recovery sites. These PIT tag related sites give a sense of the widespread distribution of all tagging activities in the Columbia River basin (Source: PTAGIS). Table 1. Summary of the utility and characteristics of the most commonly used fish tags. PIT CWT Genetics Acoustic/Radio Special Use (Otolith and geochem) Tag Use Hydrosystem Stock survival, Population Hydrosystem Life history passage and survival, productivity and status, some specific studies, hatchery population status, distribution. harvest, some passage studies, studies, habitat studies, Fisheries habitat, relative some habitat migration predation studies and composition and reproductive studies, some timing, growth some hatchery harvest rates. success studies. population status rates studies. Distribution Hatchery Broodstock studies and in season run analyses. management forecasting. Broodstock management. Tag-related Low to moderate low low high low MortalityRisk Fish type Mostly hatchery, Mostly hatchery PBT: hatchery Mostly larger Hatchery fish (wild & some wild only hatchery fish hatchery) populations GSI: All fish Fish Size >60mm >50mm Any >110mm Any Geographic Entire fresh water Entire GSI: Entire Primarily at or Entire Coverage anadromous zones to anadromous Columbia River near hydropower anadromous blocked areas zone and ocean Basin for all structures and zone and ocean Steelhead and associated Chinook. reservoirs. PBT: Primarily Snake basin hatchery Steelhead and Chinook Duration of Life of fish or until Life of fish and Life of fish and Usually Life of fish to tag expulsion, may last some post some post may be longer if mortality long in sediments mortality mortality low frequency (e.g., up to 1 to 4 years) The Fish Tagging Forum
Most of the fish tagging activity summarized in Figure 1 occurs within the anadromous fish migration and spawning areas of the Columbia and Snake Rivers (Figure 2.) The majority of the fish receiving a tag or mark are hatchery origin Chinook salmon. Figure 2. PIT tagged fish release and recovery sites. These PIT tag related sites give a sense of the widespread distribution of all tagging activities in the Columbia River basin (Source: PTAGIS). Table 1. Summary of the utility and characteristics of the most commonly used fish tags. PIT CWT Genetics Acoustic/Radio Special Use (Otolith and geochem) Tag Use Hydrosystem passage and survival, population status, habitat studies, predation studies and some hatchery studies. Distribution and in season run forecasting. Stock survival, productivity and distribution. Fisheries composition and harvest rates. Hatchery analyses. Broodstock management. Population status, some harvest, some habitat, relative reproductive success studies. Broodstock management Hydrosystem specific passage studies, some habitat studies, some population status studies Life history studies, hatchery studies, migration timing, growth rates Tag-related MortalityRisk Low to moderate low low high low Fish type (wild & hatchery) Mostly hatchery, some wild populations Mostly hatchery PBT: hatchery only GSI: All fish Mostly larger hatchery fish Hatchery fish Fish Size >60mm >50mm Any >110mm Any Geographic Coverage Entire fresh water anadromous zones to blocked areas Entire anadromous zone and ocean GSI: Entire Columbia River Basin for all Steelhead and Chinook. PBT: Primarily Snake basin hatchery Steelhead and Chinook Primarily at or near hydropower structures and associated reservoirs. Entire anadromous zone and ocean Duration of tag Life of fish or until expulsion, may last long in sediments Life of fish and some post mortality Life of fish and some post mortality Usually may be longer if low frequency (e.g., up to 1 to 4 years) Life of fish to mortality The Fish Tagging Forum