Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Survival, Growth, and Tag Retention in Estuarine Fishes Implanted with Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) Tags

  • Published:
Estuaries and Coasts Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We examined the effects of passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags on the survival, growth, and tag retention for two common estuarine fishes, mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) and pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides). A separate laboratory experiment was conducted for each species where individuals, ranging in initial size from 45 to 82 mm standard length (SL), were implanted with 8-mm or 12-mm PIT tags. Across both experiments, the probability of survival for tagged individuals ranged from 82 to 92%, probability of tag retention ranged from 82 to 91%, and probability of survival and tag retention ranged from 73 to 83%. For both species, most mortality and tag loss occurred for small (< 60 mm) individuals tagged with 12-mm tags, and generally early in the experiments. There was little effect of tagging on growth for individuals of either species compared to individuals in untagged control treatments. We recommend a minimum length of 55 mm SL for mummichog and 65 mm SL for pinfish when tagging with 8-mm or 12-mm PIT tags, as almost all fishes above these sizes survived and retained their tags. Direct comparison of our results with other studies was difficult because of variation in the tagging, husbandry, and experimental protocols used in experiments. A comparison among these different protocols would be useful to determine the least intrusive, most effective, and optimal procedure for a given species or group of estuarine fishes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Able, K.W., and M.P. Fahay. 2010. Ecology of estuarine fishes: temperate waters of the western North Atlantic. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Able, K.W., D.N. Vivian, G. Petruzzelli, and S.M. Hagan. 2012. Connectivity among salt marsh subhabitats: residency and movements of the mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus). Estuaries and Coasts 35: 743–753.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Adams, A.J., R.K. Wolfe, W.E. Pine, and B.L. Thornton. 2006. Efficacy of PIT tags and an autonomous antenna system to study the juvenile life stage of an estuarine-dependent fish. Estuaries and Coasts 29: 311–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Archdeacon, T.P., W.J. Remshardt, and T.L. Knecht. 2009. Comparison of two methods for implanting passive integrated transponders in Rio Grande silvery minnow. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 29: 346–351.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baras, E., L. Westerloppe, C. Mélard, J.-C. Philippart, and V. Bénech. 1999. Evaluation of implantation procedures for PIT-tagging juvenile Nile tilapia. North American Journal of Aquaculture 61: 246–251.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baras, E., C. Malbrouck, M. Houbart, P. Kestemont, and C. Mélard. 2000. The effect of PIT tags on growth and physiology of age-0 cultured Eurasian perch Perca fluviatilis of variable size. Aquaculture 185: 159–173.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brewer, M.A., P.J. Rudershausen, B.D. Sterba-Boatwright, J.H. Merrell, and J.A. Buckel. 2016. Surival, tag retention, and growth of spot and mummichog following PIT tag implantation. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 36: 639–651.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buckmeier, D.L., and K.S. Reeves. 2012. Retention of passive integrated transponder, T-bar anchor, and coded wire tags in Lepisosteids. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 32: 573–576.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cianciotto, A.C., J.M. Shenker, A.J. Adams, J.J. Rennert, and D. Heuberger. 2019. Modifying mosquito impoundment management to enhance nursery habitat value for juvenile common snook (Centropomus unidecimalis) and Atlantic tarpon (Megalops atlanticus). Environmental Biology of Fishes 102: 403–416.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, S.R. 2016. Effects of passive integrated transponder tags on the physiology and swimming performance of a small-bodied stream fish. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 145: 1179–1192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cook, D.G., P. Jaksons, and A.R. Jerrett. 2018. Tagging investigations with small estuarine-associated fish: tag evaluation, capture methodologies and assessment of capture stress and survival in yellow-eyed mullet Aldrichetta forsteri. Marine and Freshwater Research 69: 1595–1603.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooke, S.J., A.D.M. Wilson, C.K. Elvidge, R.J. Lennox, N. Jepsen, A.H. Colotelo, and R.S. Brown. 2016. Ten practical realities for institutional animal care and use committees when evaluating protocols dealing with fish in the field. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 26: 123–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deegan, L.A. 1993. Nutrient and energy transport between estuaries and coastal marine ecosystems by fish migration. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 50: 74–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Efron, B., and R.J. Tibshirani. 1993. An introduction to the bootstrap. Boca Raton: Chapman & Hall/CRC.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Fraiola, K.M.S., and S.M. Carlson. 2016. Feasibility of using passive integrated transponder technology for studying the ecology of juvenile striped mullet (Mugil cephalus) in streams. Pacific Science 70: 349–360.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garwood, J.A., D.M. Allen, M.E. Kimball, and K.M. Boswell. 2019. Site fidelity and habitat use by young-of-the-year transient fishes in salt marsh intertidal creeks. Estuaries and Coasts 42: 1387–1396.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grieve, B., L.J. Baumgartner, W. Robinson, L.G.M. Silva, K. Pomorin, G. Thorncraft, and N. Ning. 2018. Flexible and non-invasive passive integrated transponder (PIT) tagging protocols for tropical freshwater species. MethodsX 5: 299–303.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoese, H.D., and R.H. Moore. 1998. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico: Texas, Louisiana, and adjacent waters. 2nd ed. College Station: Texas A&M University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins, W.E., and T.I.J. Smith. 1990. Use of PIT tags to individually identify striped bass and red drum brood stocks. American Fisheries Society Symposium 7: 341–345.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelly, B.B., J.B. Cary, A.D. Smith, K.C. Pregler, S. Kim, and Y. Kanno. 2017. Detection efficiency of a portable PIT antenna for two small-bodied fishes in a piedmont stream. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 37: 1362–1369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kimball, M.E., K.M. Boswell, and L.P. Rozas. 2017. Estuarine fish behavior around slotted water control structures in a managed salt marsh. Wetlands Ecology and Management 25: 299–312.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mace, M.M., III, M.E. Kimball, and E.R. Haffey. 2018. Recruitment and habitat use of early life stage tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) in South Carolina estuaries. Estuaries and Coasts 41: 841–854.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meynecke, J.-O., G.C. Poole, J. Werry, and S.Y. Lee. 2008. Use of PIT tag and underwater video recording in assessing estuarine fish movement in a high intertidal mangrove and salt marsh creek. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 79: 168–178.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrison, W.E., and D.H. Secor. 2003. Demographic attributes of yellow-phase American eels (Anguilla rostrata) in the Hudson River estuary. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 60: 1487–1501.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Musselman, W.C., T.A. Worthington, J. Mouser, D.M. Williams, and S.K. Brewer. 2017. Passive integrated transponder tags: review of studies on warmwater fishes with notes on additional species. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 8: 353–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, J., R. Wilson, F. Coleman, C. Koenig, D. DeVries, C. Gardner, and J. Chanton. 2012. Flux by fin: fish-mediated carbon and nutrient flux in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Marine Biology 159: 365–372.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, T.R., D. Sutton, and D.R. DeVries. 2014. Summer movements of the Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis) in a northern Gulf of Mexico salt marsh. Estuaries and Coasts 37: 1295–1300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Donnell, M.J., and B.H. Letcher. 2017. Implanting 8-mm passive integrated transponder tags into small brook trout: effects on growth and survival in the laboratory. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 37: 605–611.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pine, W.E., J.E. Hightower, L.G. Coggins, M.V. Lauretta, and K.H. Pollock. 2012. Design and analysis of tagging studies. In Fisheries Techniques, ed. A.V. Zale, D.L. Parrish, and T.M. Sutton, 3rd ed., 521–572. Bethesda: American Fisheries Society.

    Google Scholar 

  • Potthoff, M.T., and D.M. Allen. 2003. Site fidelity, home range, and tidal migrations of juvenile pinfish, Lagodon rhomboides, in salt marsh creeks. Environmental Biology of Fishes 67: 231–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raabe, J.K., and J.E. Hightower. 2014. Assessing distribution of migratory fishes and connectivity following complete and partial dam removals in a North Carolina River. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 34: 955–969.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reemeyer, J.E., J.C. Harris, A.M. Hernandez, and B.B. Rees. 2019. Effects of passive integrated transponder tagging on cortisol release, aerobic metabolism and growth of the Gulf killifish Fundulus grandis. Journal of Fish Biology 94: 422–433.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rose, J.D., R. Arlinghaus, S.J. Cooke, B.K. Diggles, W. Sawynok, E.D. Stevens, and C.D.L. Wynne. 2014. Can fish really feel pain? Fish and Fisheries 15: 97–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rudershausen, P.J., J.A. Buckel, T. Dubreuil, M.J. O'Donnell, J.E. Hightower, S.J. Poland, and B.H. Letcher. 2014. Estimating movement and survival rates of a small saltwater fish using autonomous antenna receiver arrays and passive integrated transponder tags. Marine Ecology Progress Series 499: 177–192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheaves, M. 2009. Consequences of ecological connectivity: the coastal ecosystem mosaic. Marine Ecology Progress Series 391: 107–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teo, S.L.H., and K.W. Able. 2003. Habitat use and movement of the mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) in a restored salt marsh. Estuaries 26: 720–730.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tiffan, K.F., R.W. Perry, W.P. Connor, F.L. Mullins, C.D. Rabe, and D.D. Nelson. 2015. Survival, growth, and tag retention in age-0 chinook salmon implanted with 8-, 9-, and 12-mm PIT tags. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 35: 845–852.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ward, D.L., W.R. Persons, K.L. Young, D.M. Stone, D.R. Vanhaverbeke, and W.K. Knight. 2015. A laboratory evaluation of tagging-related mortality and tag loss in juvenile humpback chub. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 35: 135–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, G.V., R.M. Wright, and P.S. Kemp. 2015. Impact of tide gates on the migration of adult European eels, Anguilla anguilla. Estuaries and Coasts 38: 2031–2043.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zimmerman, J.L., and S.A. Welsh. 2008. PIT tag retention in small (205-370 mm) American eels, Anguilla rostrata. Proceedings of the West Virginia Academy of Science 79: 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank faculty, staff, and students from the USC Baruch Marine Field Laboratory (D. Allen, E. Haffey, M. Kennedy), Cornell College Rogers Fellowship in Environmental Studies program (R. Bulger, A. Richards, J. Tesensky), Wofford College (K. Dickson, A. Schwab), and Converse College (K. Moorhouse) for their assistance with this research. This research was conducted in accordance with the guidelines set forth in University of South Carolina IACUC Animal Care and Use Protocols #2154-100810-040814, #2264-101032-080315, and #2273-101047-093015.

Funding

This study was funded by the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust (BTT).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Baruch Marine Field Laboratory, University of South Carolina, PO Box 1630, Georgetown, SC, 29442, USA

    Matthew E. Kimball & Marvin M. Mace III

Authors
  1. Matthew E. Kimball
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Marvin M. Mace III
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matthew E. Kimball.

Additional information

Communicated by Mark S. Peterson

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(PDF 54 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kimball, M.E., Mace, M.M. Survival, Growth, and Tag Retention in Estuarine Fishes Implanted with Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) Tags. Estuaries and Coasts 43, 151–160 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-019-00657-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-019-00657-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation