Tag attachment success can be temperature dependent: a case study of the chub mackerel Scomber japonicus

Abstract

Background: Electronic tags are increasingly used in the studies of fish, but the attachment of electronic tags may affect their behaviour and physiology. While a number of studies have shown effects of electronic tags on fish health and behaviour, few have examined the effects of thermal conditions on the consequences of electronic tagging. In the present study, we conducted two laboratory experiments under two different water temperatures (22.5 ± 1.5 and 12.7 ± 1.8 °C) to evaluate the growth and survival of commercially reared chub mackerel Scomber japonicus tagged with a dummy electronic tag. Results:The presence of the tag, but not the surgical operation itself, significantly decreased fish survival rate under warm conditions, whereas high survival rates (ca. 96 %) were observed for both tagged and untagged fish under cold conditions. No difference in growth rate was found between the tagged and untagged fish under cold conditions, but tagged fish grew more poorly than untagged fish under warm conditions. Conclusions:Our result showed that water temperature clearly affects the impact of tagging on the health of commercially reared chub mackerel.

Predicting the factors influencing the inter‐ and intraspecific survival rates of riverine fishes implanted with acoustic transmitters

“…It can also vary by sex, with some studies reporting lower survival and tag retention in females (Jepsen et al ., 2002; Šmejkal et al ., 2019). Furthermore, environmental factors can influence fish responses to tagging, particularly water temperature, with elevated temperatures tending to reduce survival and welfare (Walsh et al ., 2000; Yasuda et al ., 2015).…”

Electronic Tag Retention and Survival of Giant Salamanders after Surgical Implantation

“…It is also recommended that tag retention and the effects of surgical implantation should be evaluated prior to deployment (Cooke et al, 2011). The effects of electronic tags on survival, growth rate, swimming, and feeding behavior have been reported to vary according to the species and the size of target animals (e.g., Lucas, 1989;Makiguchi and Ueda, 2009;Yasuda et al, 2015;Makiguchi and Kojima, 2017).…”