Since 2002, the Dolphinfish Research Program has distributed more than 37,346 
(running total as of 1.12.2018) plastic dart tags to fishermen around the world! Below is a graph that shows the peak of when most of the tags were shipped over the past 16 years (on the left) and how we should shift our effort to a bimodal effort moving forward (on the right). Let us explain why.
Our work has shown that dolphinfish move in a seasonal migration and in order for you to help us to further define their seasonality we need our anglers to have tags in their boat, tackle box, or fishing bag on that first inaugural trip of each season when fish start to run. Therefore, if we use the Florida Keys and South Florida as one example, this would mean that our program should have a spike is shipping tags in February, before anglers start to fish in the spring, then after the first schools of dolphin show up and anglers use their tags, a second spike in late spring to tag fish in the summer. Using the north coast of Puerto Rico as an example, our program should see a peak in shipping in June to be used when fish begin to show up in late July/early August and then another peak in shipping in Late fall for tagging fish later in the season. If we can make this change in program operations for shipping tags we can better gauge seasonal fluctuations in dolphin abundance throughout their range. Please click the image below, or here, to request your kit today!
Wessley Merten, Ph.D.
Dolphinfish Research Program
Beyond Our Shores Foundation
PO BOX 662
Rockville, MD, 20848
(787) 436-8300
email: wess@beyondourshores.org
beyondourshores.org / dolphintagging.com / prfadsystem.com
to top