PRISTAS ET AL.: RETURNS OF TAGGED GULF MENHADEN 



Table 3. — Numbers of adult Gulf menhaden tagged in the 

 spring of 1970 and the estimated number recaptured in subse- 

 quent fishing seasons, by area. 



Table 4. — Numbers of adult Gulf menhaden tagged in the 

 spring of 1971 and the estimated number recaptured in subse- 

 quent fishing seasons, by area. 



ages of test tags recovered after 1 yr (0.5%) and 

 2 yr (0.1%) probably underestimated the per- 

 centage of field tags that remained in a plant 

 and were recovered after 1 or 2 yr, since a greater 

 number of test tags were applied early rather 

 than late in the season and therefoi^e had a 

 greater chance of being recovered in the year 

 they were applied. The tendency of field tags that 

 had been out more than 2 yr to be recovered 

 early, rather than late, in the fishing season sug- 

 gests that some, at least, had remained in plants 

 over the winter. At plants where recovery effi- 

 cencies were relatively low, mainly plants in the 

 eastern and central areas, a greater percentage 

 of field tags were returned after 2 yr than at plants 

 where efficiencies were relatively high. Field tag 



recoveries after 2 yr were highest at those plants 

 where test tag recoveries after 1 yr were highest. 

 The plant for which no field tag recoveries were 

 reported after 2 yr had the lowest percentage of 

 test tag recoveries after 1 yr — less than 0.1%. 



Eastern Releases 



Nearly all first year recoveries (tags recovered 

 the same year they were applied) were at plants 

 in the eastern area (99.7% in 1969; 96.5% in 1970; 

 and 97.2% in 1971), and no tags were recovered 

 in the western area. The only tags recovered in 

 the central area were at plants whose vessels 

 also fished in the eastern area. Second year re- 

 coveries (tags recovered the year after they were 

 applied) followed the same pattern as first year 

 recoveries, although a greater proportion of tags 

 were recovered in the central area. For 1969 re- 

 leases, no tags were recovered the second year 

 at the plant in the western area whose vessels 

 fished only in that area. For 1970 releases, no 

 tags were recovered the second year in the west- 

 ern area. For 1971 releases, only three tags were 

 recovered in the western area, all at a plant whose 

 vessels fished in all areas. 



Central Releases 



Although tags were recovered the first year at 

 plants in all areas, the highest percentages were 

 from plants in the central area (87.6% in 1969; 

 54.7% in 1970; 56.4% in 1971). The lowest per- 

 centages were at plants in the eastern area, as 

 might be expected, since the western and central 

 areas are continuous with each other but are 

 separated from the eastern area by the Missis- 

 sippi Delta. In 1969 and 1970 no tags were recov- 

 ered at the plant in the eastern area whose 

 vessels fished only in that area. Some tags were 

 recovered in the western area at the plant whose 

 vessels fished only in that area. The majority of 

 second year recoveries also was at plants in the 

 central area (71% for all release years com- 

 bined); the fewest were at plants in the eastern 

 area (4% for all release years combined). 



Western Releases 



Most of the first year recoveries were at plants 

 in the western area (85.0% in 1969; 64.7% in 

 1970; 65.7% in 1971), and the fewest were at 

 plants in the eastern area (2% in 1969 and 1971; 



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