A review of the Oceanographic Research Institute’s Cooperative Fish Tagging Project: 27 years down the line

Abstract

The Oceanographic Research Institute’s (ORI) Cooperative Fish Tagging Project was initiated in 1984 and is one of the most enduring and successful environmental projects of its kind in South Africa. By the end of 2011, 5 130 anglers had joined the project, of whom 3 457 had tagged one or more fish. In the project’s 27-year history (1984–2011), over 251 900 fish from 368 different species have been tagged and released, of which approximately 13 192 (5.2%) have been recaptured. The five most commonly tagged species to date are galjoen Dichistius capensis, dusky kob Argyrosomus japonicus, dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus, garrick/leervis Lichia amia and spotted grunter Pomadasys commersonnii. Information from the Tagging Project has been extensively used in numerous research projects, scientific publications, popular articles and postgraduate theses. The results generated by this project have also contributed to policy development and decision-making on linefish management in South Africa. Furthermore, the project has had a positive impact on improving angler awareness and knowledge about linefish resources. The concept of tag and release has partly been responsible for changing the ethics of the recreational fishing community, many of whom now release their catch, thereby contributing to a more sustainable fishing future. This paper critically assesses the contribution that the ORI Tagging Project has made as a conservation achievement in general and to linefish management in particular, and reflects on future directions for the project.

Keywords: angling, cooperative tag and release, fish movement, growth rate, mortality rates, population dynamics, South Africa, tag recapture, tag release

African Journal of Marine Science 2013, 35(2): 209–221