Free Black Sea Bass Tagging Trip - Volunteers Needed - Monday 12/5- Sea Isle City, NJ

[RutgersResearch]

As part of tagging research through Rutgers University, we have a charter aboard a non-sponsor party boat out of Sea Isle City, NJ this Monday (12/5) from 05:00-16:00.

I'm in need of up to three additional anglers to come out for FREE to fish with rod-and-reel and catch black sea bass for us to tag for our study. Only 6-8 anglers will be fishing, so plenty of space at the rail a 65' boat.

Almost all black sea bass will be tagged and released for research. If we have great fishing and tag over ~225 fish, then anglers can start keeping legal sized black sea bass within the legal limit. All bycatch (ling, porgies, hakes, bluefish, cod, etc.) can be kept in accordance with current regulations.

Please let me know ASAP if you can join us on Monday. You can reply to this thread or send me a PM, and then we can connect on the phone to coordinate.

Thanks for any help! Looking forward to hopefully getting a few members out on the water.

Thanks,
Doug

[AndyS]

Do you have an e mail address ?

[RutgersResearch]

AndyS - Just sent you a PM!

[Ice Cream Bill]

Hi Doug,

please send me PM or call me

Bill
(201) 566-1510

[BELLYUP]

Doug please call me after 7am Thanks Rich 201-394-1026

[ALS Mako]

Would be all over this if it was a weekend trip. Just can't lose a day's pay.

[frugalfisherman]

If you do one out of Manasquan inlet let me know

[Capt Joe]

As part of tagging research through Rutgers University, we have a charter aboard a non-sponsor party boat out of Sea Isle City, NJ this Monday (12/5) from 05:00-16:00.

I'm in need of up to three additional anglers to come out for FREE to fish with rod-and-reel and catch black sea bass for us to tag for our study. Only 6-8 anglers will be fishing, so plenty of space at the rail a 65' boat.

Almost all black sea bass will be tagged and released for research. If we have great fishing and tag over ~225 fish, then anglers can start keeping legal sized black sea bass within the legal limit. All bycatch (ling, porgies, hakes, bluefish, cod, etc.) can be kept in accordance with current regulations.

Please let me know ASAP if you can join us on Monday. You can reply to this thread or send me a PM, and then we can connect on the phone to coordinate.

Thanks for any help! Looking forward to hopefully getting a few members out on the water.

Thanks,
Doug

Hey Doug,
Hate to be a stick in the mud but........
Why would you do a tagging trip in December when most of the Seabass are deeper than 120 ft of water and the mortality rate would have to be much higher than if you did your trip say in September or even October. Or July or August for that matter since you would be returning them all back anyway. Seems a bit illogical.
Seeking an answer not a shit storm.
Perhaps there are still enough in the Sea Isle area in 60 or 80 feet of water? Definitely not in upper Ocean County waters.

[Capt. Lou]

Wondering the same , strange time of year to fish them inshore . I'm sure they know what there doing ! :confused:

[Ice Cream Bill]

Rutgers,

I posted a reply to you that I would be interested in going on this sea bass tagging trip 12 minutes after you answered Andy S yesterday. A common courtesy would be to RSVP via phone or PM me back "yes or no".
Way to go Scarlet Knights...

Bill

[RutgersResearch]

Hey Ice Cream Bill,

My apologies for the confusion. But I called you on Saturday at 4:59 pm and left a voicemail. Did you type the correct number above (201-566-1510)? No ill intentions there and would have been very happy to have had you on board today. We'll have seven more trips, so please shoot me a PM if you'd be interested in a future trip.

- Doug

[RutgersResearch]

Hey Capt Joe,

Thanks for your interest in the project. The objective of the research is to estimate the discard mortality rate in the deep water fishery, so we are tagging at a wreck in 150 feet of water. We are interested in identifying which factors influence mortality and ways to increase the survival of discards. For example, we are testing whether or not swim bladder venting can increase survival in fish with barotrauma. We are hopeful that we'll identify ways to increase the survival of undersized fish or also keepers that are thrown back when the season is closed. This would help to reduce overall fishing mortality and having the capacity to increase their survival will hopefully factor favorably into future management.

- Doug

[Adrenalinerush]

That sounds like a very worthwhile study, good luck!

[reely]

How did the study go?

[RutgersResearch]

We had a great first tagging trip yesterday and tagged nearly 200 black sea bass. Hopefully the strong fishing continues and we can tag over 1000 this winter.

Thanks for your interest!

[Capt Joe]

Hey Capt Joe,

Thanks for your interest in the project. The objective of the research is to estimate the discard mortality rate in the deep water fishery, so we are tagging at a wreck in 150 feet of water. We are interested in identifying which factors influence mortality and ways to increase the survival of discards. For example, we are testing whether or not swim bladder venting can increase survival in fish with barotrauma. We are hopeful that we'll identify ways to increase the survival of undersized fish or also keepers that are thrown back when the season is closed. This would help to reduce overall fishing mortality and having the capacity to increase their survival will hopefully factor favorably into future management.

- Doug

Interesting Doug, however methinks at 150 feet (or 200 which is where most of the offshore fishery is now) will not produce many returned tags. Time will tell.
As far as future management...we all know where thats going... research or not.
Question if you have time. When a fish is "vented" from 200 ft of water does that remove the air forced under the skin in the gills and scales, eye sockets, etc.? Seems like quite a severe trauma going on there.

[RutgersResearch]

Hey Joe,

Although this is a tagging study, we are not reliant on tag recaptures to meet our objectives. Its primarily an acoustic telemetry study and we can track the tagged fish with hydrophones stationed around the wreck. Based on their horizontal and vertical movements we can tell whether or not the fish survive.

Our team did similar research with cod and haddock in the Gulf of Maine. Here is a link to the published scientific paper for cod:

http://icesjms.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/fsw058?ijkey=BuTWCAewKazxV4l&keytype=ref

These links have some helpful information on best practices for releasing fish, including venting and descending devices:

http://www.fishsmart.org/bestpractices

http://catchandrelease.org/descending--venting/

Thanks,
Doug

[RutgersResearch]

Also, our next tagging trip is this Thursday (12/8) sailing out of Sea Isle City, NJ from 05:00-18:00. There are a few spots left, so if anyone is interested in joining us, please let me know ASAP.

Thanks,
Doug

[Ice Cream Bill]

Hi Doug,

Interested in joining you on Thursday. Please call or PM me.

Bill
(201) 566-1510

[RutgersResearch]

Bill: Thanks for volunteering. I'm looking forward to fishing with you tomorrow!


Still a few free spots available for tomorrow's tagging trip. Please post below or message me if you are interested in joining us.

[rui]

Also, our next tagging trip is this Thursday (12/8) sailing out of Sea Isle City, NJ from 05:00-18:00. There are a few spots left, so if anyone is interested in joining us, please let me know ASAP.

Thanks,
Doug

Doug,

I find your research very interesting and would like to participate.
By any chance do you have a trip for the week of the 25th?
I will be off work that week.

Rui

[RutgersResearch]

Hey Rui,

Thanks for your interest and support.

Unfortunately, we are unlikely to have a trip between the holidays as I'm planning to take some time off.

I'm looking for some more volunteers for a trip tomorrow. Then we will have trips each of the next two weeks. We'll also be sailing in January and into February.

Thanks,
Doug

[RutgersResearch]

FYI - We are conducting similar research with cusk in the Gulf of Maine. This video shows a bit about that project:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8pMVuOrmaE