STRIPED BASS AND SATELLITES

Roxanne Willmer, Gray FishTag Research

Editor’s Note: The Fisheries Conservation Trust is overseen by the Recreational Fishing Alliance. It underwrites two highly regarded fishing tournaments—the Buccaneer Cup Sailfish Tournament, now in its 59th year and the Manhattan Cup Striped Bass Tournament which celebrates its 21st year this coming June—as fundraising instruments but also because they promote conservation. Several years ago, the FTC was made aware of the Gray FishTag Research (GFR) program and started working with the fledgling organization. More recently funds from the Manhattan Cup have been donated to Gray to help further a unique program that involves tagging mature striped bass from both the Hudson and Chesapeake stocks with archival satellite trackers in an effort to learn more about their migratory habits. The early results have shocked the scientific community. The following article, written by Roxanne Willmer, the head of GFR, explains more about the program and also includes tracking data from some of the fish the RFA/FTC donations have helped implant with these expensive electronic tags. We hope you’ll enjoy learning more about them and the program.

Gray FishTag Research’s (GFR) groundbreaking Northeast Striped Bass research efforts began in 2019. On May 21, 2019, our GFR team in conjunction with The Fisherman Magazine and Navionics traveled to New York City to catch, satellite tag and release two qualifying candidates to carry the Wildlife Computers MiniPAT pop-off satellite tags. The first fish was a 34-inch Striped Bass named “Liberty” and the second Striped Bass tagged was named “Freedom”.

With the astonishing results from the data collected in 2019, interest and financial contributions of many additional sponsors were received which allowed us to continue and expand our research studies. The 2020 Northeastern Striped Bass study looked different than originally planned. The Covid 19 pandemic hit New York and New Jersey with great force and our original planned expedition study scheduled for May 18th, 2020, was in jeopardy as waterways and charter boats were in mandatory closure. However, realizing the importance of the annual migration period and the desire to build on the remarkable results from last year, our study partners and GFR advisory board members, Mike Caruso, and Jim Hutchinson with The Fisherman Magazine, acted. On May 28, 2020, offshore Sandy Hook, New Jersey, a healthy 46-1/2-inch candidate named “Rona” was tagged and released.

On June 3, 2020, offshore Sea Bright, New Jersey a 45-3/4-inch candidate named “Cora” was the second tag deployed.

On July 3, 2020, offshore Montauk, New York, “Independence” measuring 46-1/2 inches offshore was successfully tagged.

After months of planning and communications with our sponsors and captains, we landed in New Jersey with great anticipation to continue our research efforts for 2021.

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Article Photo: This fish was tagged a couple weeks after the 20th Manhattan Cup in June of 2021 and made its way well offshore to the Hudson Canyon area and then north traveling a good thousand plus miles in the span of just a few months before the tag released and floated in to shore.

Hail Mary Chart: This is the route Hail Mary took after being presented with her satellite jewelry. Quite a distance and very far offshore for a fish considered to be a coastal migratory species.

Penn and Seaguar charts: These are the travels of the first two bass to receive satellite tags off Montauk, New York. They were tagged aboard RFA member and official artist, Capt. Savio Mizzi’s light tackle charter boat last June.

2020 Sat Tag: Chuck Manny, owner of the boat Tyman, has become heavily involved with the program paying for several satellite tags and deploying over a hundred Gray FishTag spaghetti tags in the bass he catches. On May 24, 2021, we returned and conducted our largest to date research expedition. We had six boats and six teams. We were in the company of captains: Fletcher Chayes, David Glassberg, Hans Kaspersetz, Chuck Many, Howard Owens and Frank “Wags” Wagenhoffer as well as study partners: Mike Caruso and Jim Hutchinson with the Fisherman Magazine, Gerry Benedicto with Seaguar, Shawn Carpenter with AFW, Craig Cantelmo with Van Stall, John Depersenaire with the RFA, Jerry Gomber with Folsom Group, Chris Scanzillo with Caterpillar, Fred Hass with Tackle Direct, Stu Webber, Cindy Parra with FScale, Andree Sanquini with Travelzoo, Tom Wilbert with Coca-Cola and John Tiedemann, Dean of Science, from Monmouth University. Navionics continued their financial support however were not able to attend.

The teams met at Bahr’s Landing in Highlands, New Jersey. It was going to be a day filled with industry leaders fishing with other great industry leaders all in the name of science.

Offshore Sandy Hook, New Jersey, Team Fin-Chaser with Captain Frank Wagenhoffer tagged a qualifying candidate to carrying one of the two satellite tags. The tag was deployed in a 42-inch post spawn Striped Bass named “Navionics”

Offshore Sandy Hook, New Jersey, Team Tyman with Captain Chuck Many deployed the second satellite tag on a 44-inch post spawn candidate named “AFW”

On June 17, 2021, After Plan A, B and C resulted in a few smaller fish caught but not qualifying candidates to carry the third satellite tag of 2021. GFR advisory board member, Jim Hutchison and GFR contributor, Chuck Many were able to successful deploy the third satellite tag of 2021 in a 44-inch Striped Bass named “Hail Mary”

On June 30, 2021, south of the Montauk Lighthouse at Cartwright Bank with Alan Steiger with Steiger Craft Boats a 44-inch Striped Bass named “Seaguar” was tagged, and the next satellite tag was deployed in our 48-inch candidate named “PENN”

With the financial support of our sponsors and contributors we are always looking for more ways to gain knowledge on this popular species and expand our research efforts to collect data.

On November 2, 2021, offshore Sandy Hook, New Jersey we deployed our first fall run satellite tag. This tag was affectionately named “Uncle Fred” in remembrance of Fred Garofalo with The Fisherman Magazine.

On December 13, 2021, thanks to Chuck Many we expanded our study into Virginia. Chuck deployed our first Virginia stock satellite tag, we named “Recreational Fishing Alliance- RFA.” This tag was successfully deployed on a 47-inch female Striped Bass in Chesapeake Bay just offshore Cape Charles, Virginia.

These highly technical satellite tags have three sensors that collect data: 1. Tracking Data: Light-based Geolocation 2. Diving Behavior: Time-at-Depth Histograms 3. Temperature Profiles: Profile of Depth and Temperature

In all fish telemetry, there is always margin for error which we consider to be minimal in this study due to the fact we physically recaptured seven of the eleven tags deployed. Having the physical tag allows us to gather and download the full data set collected during deployment. We must always remember that fish in the ocean or wild never swim in a straight line and the graphs shown are averages based upon light sensors, temperature, and depth information.

Right Photo: Bill Sisson, editor of Anglers Journal magazine, was along with Chuck Many this past January for the tagging of this 47” bass, the first tagged in Chesapeake Bay. The fish carries the name RFA in honor of the donations made from the Manhattan Cup to the tagging program.

continued from page 6 This type of research work comes with great risk, expense, and at times disappointment if the tag does not perform as we all expected. It is a great reminder that to expand our program and research efforts we need to get others involved with their financial support to be able to conduct larger deployments again later this year.

As this study gains more and more interest, Gray FishTag Research will continue to look for opportunities to gather additional data collection, partner and build relationships with other industry leaders and share the amazing results with the public for FREE.

The Northeast Striped Bass study has truly been remarkable with so many eager for more data. This study is a true collaboration with our sponsors and contributors and is only possible due to their generosity. Thank you, Navionics, The Fisherman Magazine, American Fishing WireAFW, Fisheries Conservation Trust through the RFA, Seaguar, Simrad, Southernmost Apparel, Many and Glassberg families, Berkeley Striper Club and Hudson River Fishermen’s Association.

This study is truly astonishing, and we are so privileged to be in the forefront of such intriguing work. If you are eager for more data and would like to contribute to our ongoing Striped Bass research efforts, you can do so by calling Roxanne Willmer at 844-824-8353 or email her at Roxanne@ grayfishtag.org. All contributions are tax deductible.

Details of some of the earliest MiniPat tagged striped bass and the start of a real scientific adventure.

2019 Tags

LIBERTY- date deployed 5/21/2019 date transmitted 7/9/2019 • Hudson River, New York • 7 weeks deployed (49 days) • Released offshore Massachusetts • Physical tag located Sagamore Beach, Cape Canal, Massachusetts

FREEDOM- date deployed 5/21/2019 date transmitted 10/18/2019 • Hudson River, New York • Full programmed duration time 5 months • Released offshore Asbury Park, New Jersey • Physical tag located Deal, New Jersey

2020 Tags

RONA- date deployed 5/28/2020 date transmitted 8/21/2020 • Sandy Hook, New Jersey • 12 weeks deployed (85 days) • Released Long Island, New York (North of Fire Island)

CORA- date deployed 6/3/2020 date transmitted 8/2/2020 • Sea Bright, New Jersey • 8 weeks deployed (60 days) • Released Massachusetts

INDEPENDENCE- deployed 7/3/2020 date transmitted 11/2/2020 • Montauk, New York • Full programmed duration time 4 months • Released Fortescue, New Jersey • Physical tag located Lewes, Delaware

Gray FishTag Research (GFR) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, all species, international tagging program. We operate thanks to donations from our research centers, sponsors, and contributors. Our program is a collaborative effort supported by GFR Sponsors, GFR Research Centers and a GFR Advisory Board consisting of industry leaders.

We recognize that fisheries managers are eager for relevant and accurate data to support their decisions in making smart policies to support sustainability to our fisheries. They are working with the best available science and many tagging programs lack the ability or the overall desire to share their data, studies, and conclusions to support these regulations. Gray FishTag Research has relationships with over 10,000 captains and mates around the world. In 2015, GFR realized the value of bringing together those relationships to gain real time data and began the research efforts of our program. Since the start of our program, we have been able to train, engage and educate thousands of captains. The GFR program is committed to offering tagging supplies to charter boat captains at NO Cost and to share the data we collect from our tag cards and satellite tag studies to the public for FREE.

Conservation first starts with awareness. The GFR tagging model is like no other. When we place tagging supplies in the hands of charter captains, we are not only creating data, but we are also creating awareness to thousands of anglers yearly around the world. Daily, our captains engage their anglers in responsible fish tagging and the reporting while introducing our youth, sometimes for the very first time, to the benefits of catch and release.

In the private boat tagging model, the boat owner will tag a fish and record that data with only him and his crew being a part of the experience. However, when one of our captains tags a fish, he is engaging four to six anglers on every half-day charter trip. We believe our model to include the charter sportfishing professional and offer tagging supplies at no cost continues to be the key to accurate data and the success of our GFR program.

Our program does not charge a membership fee and we strive to be fun and interactive. By introducing anglers to the world of fish tagging and tracking, we believe we bring added excitement to fishing while educating anglers. Our tagging model allows the angler to “Name Your Fish” and our website displays each angler’s name and the fish they tagged on our daily Live Tag Feed website page.

Each year, thousands of GFR green spaghetti tags are distributed for deployment on all species of fish. Our program is breaking records. In 2021, GFR tagged over 58 species of fish and had a recapture rate almost twice the average rate. The Striped Bass species was our “Top Tagged Species in 2021”

In addition to our GFR tagging research efforts, we conduct satellite tag studies on Blue Marlin, Roosterfish, Striped Bass, Striped Marlin and Swordfish and we also share those conclusions to the public for FREE.

Our program was the first ever to conduct long term deployment satellite tag studies on Striped Bass and Roosterfish with groundbreaking results.

The goal of these studies and our work is to gain a greater understanding of the migration and behavior pattern of these well sought-after species.

Left Photo: Chuck Manny, owner of the boat Tyman, has become heavily involved with the program paying for several satellite tags and deploying over a hundred Gray FishTag spaghetti tags in the bass he catches.