Caught a Tagged Bass?
It’s likely that most local anglers have heard a thing or two about all the tagged bass swimming around San Diego. They are the result of a highly successful project called the Coastal Angler Tagging Cooperative.
Researchers are working directly with the recreational fishing community, the California Department of Fish and Game, and the San Diego Oceans Foundation with the goal of measuring population size, mortality, and movement patterns of all three bass species (calico bass, sand bass, and spotted bay bass) in southern California. Two tagging methods are being used to accomplish this: floy tagging (tag-recapture) and acoustic telemetry. Efforts are primarily focused in the San Diego coastal area, and expanded to include Newport Bay and Long Beach Harbor as well.
So far, the Coastal Angler Tagging Cooperative has been a huge success the last two years. To date, they have tagged over 15,700 bass, and received1400 recapture reports from San Diego to Long Beach. This would not have been possible without help from so many landings, captains, deckhands, and anglers. Researchers are beginning the data analysis phase of the project, so keep an eye on their Facebook page and website (www.cooperativefishtagging.org) for project updates.
So, why report a tagged fish?
Each tag enters you into a monthly draw for a $200 gas card!
If you catch a tagged bass (calico, sand bass, or spotted bay bass), please do the following:
1) If the fish is released, then please leave the tag attached to the fish.
2) If the fish is kept, just let them know in your tag report by...
3 different options for reporting a tagged fish:
1) Free CatchReporter cell phone app (this only takes ~10 seconds)
OR
2) Call the phone number on the tag (858-534-2156)
OR
3) Use the project website (www.cooperativefishtagging.org)
Information to report:
Tag ID number (printed on the opposite side of the tag from the phone number)
Date and location caught (lat-lons preferable, but not necessary)
Kept or released (if released, did you keep the tag or leave it attached to the fish?)
Total length (if possible)
To find out more:
www.cooperativefishtagging.org
Office contact: 858-534-2156
Direct contact: 562-508-3459 (Lyall's cell)
