Arendt et al.: Seasonal occurrence of site-utilization patterns of Tautoga onitis 
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(25-mm) incision was made on each fish immediately dor- 
sal to the ventral midline between pelvic fins and anus 
with a sterilized, disposable razor blade. The transmit- 
ters was coated in sterile mineral oil and placed into 
the visceral cavities of tautog with the transducer end 
of the transmitter facing forward. Braided, polyglycolic 
acid sutures (Dexon®, I-III), surgical staples (Proximate 
Plus MD 35W®), and acrylic adhesive (Krazy glue®) were 
used to close the incision. Betadine was used periodically 
throughout the surgical procedure and antibiotics (Nu- 
Flor®) were injected intramuscularly to increase postsur- 
gical survival (Schramm and Black, 1984; Bart and Dun- 
ham, 1990; Poppe et al., 1996). Tautog were revived in the 
aerated live well and released within 0.5 h after surgery. 
Preliminary evaluation of surgical procedures with “dum- 
my” transmitters indicated 100% transmitter retention, 
86% survival, and normal swimming, feeding, reproduc- 
tive behavior, and physiology for tautog >400 mm TL held 
up to 418 days in captivity (Arendt, 1999). Tautog were 
fully recovered from surgery <1 to 6 days after release 
(Arendt, 1999) according to detection patterns recorded by 
automated acoustic receivers (Arendt and Lucy, 2000). 
V-16-1H-R256 coded transmitters ( 16 mm x 48 mm, 9 g 
in water; Vemco, Ltd. , Shad Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada ) were 
used in our study. Signal repeat intervals for coded trans- 
mitters (69 kHz) varied randomly between 45 and 75 s, 
which extended battery life to 111 d. Transmitters were 
primarily detected with a submerged array of automated 
acoustic receivers (VR1, Vemco, Ltd.); however, transmit- 
ters were also detected from a research vessel with acous- 
tic hydrophones (V10, VH65, Vemco, Ltd.) and an electron- 
ic receiver (VR60, Vemco, Ltd.). 
Omnidirectional VR1 receivers were deployed 100-150 m 
to the west and east of the perimeter of each of the four 
sites. Detection radius for each receiver was approximately 
400 m. Detection areas for both receivers were overlapped 
to create three distinct reception zones: a central reception 
zone common to both receivers and two peripheral recep- 
tion zones unique to either receiver. VR1 receivers were 
moored 1. 5-3.0 m above the seafloor to provide an unob- 
structed line-of-sight for transmitter signal reception (i.e. 
positioned above the “structure” associated with each site) 
and to reduce acoustic interference from suspended mate- 
rial associated with strong bottom currents. Mooring units 
consisted of a railroad wheel (227 kg), stainless steel air- 
craft cable (0.64 cm, 7 x 19 strand), and subsurface and 
surface floats. Receivers were retrieved every three to six 
weeks and detection data (transmitter ID, date and time 
of detection) were downloaded directly to a shipboard com- 
puter by means of a VR1-PC cable interface (Vemco, Ltd.). 
Data for tautog released in fall 1998 were collected for 
the duration of the transmitter battery life. Data for tau- 
tog released in spring 1999 were collected until all VR1 
receivers were permanently removed from each site. VR1 
detections for each tautog were sorted into hourly bins and 
examined graphically. Because tautog are diurnally active 
and nocturnally quiescent (Olla et al., 1974; Arendt et al., 
in press), only daytime detection was used to determine 
site-utilization patterns. Tautog were considered resident 
at a particular site each day if they were detected at the 
same site throughout the day (morning, mid-day, evening). 
Total fish-days (sum of all days between date of first and 
last detection for all fish) for each calendar season were 
classified as 1) days when tautog were resident at the site 
of initial release, 2) days when tautog were detected at an 
alternative site, or 3) days when they were not detected at 
all. Site-utilization patterns of tautog were examined for 
each site in fall (from 9 Nov 98 to 20 Dec 98), winter (from 
21 Dec 98 to 20 Mar 99), spring (from 21 Mar 99 to 20 Jun 
99), and summer (from 21 Jun 99 to 9 Sep 99). 
To increase the probability that tautog would be re- 
ported as recaptured should recapture occur, transmitters 
were labeled with the specimen’s ID number, a $50 “re- 
ward” notice, and a phone number. Tautog were tagged 
externally with a small, orange t-bar anchor tag (TBA2; 
Hallprint, Holden Hill, South Australia) used by the Vir- 
ginia Game Fish Tagging Program and with a larger, green 
t-bar tag (SHD-95; Floy Mfg., Seattle, WA) containing the 
specimen’s ID number, a $50 reward” notice, and a phone 
number. Internal and external reward notices were includ- 
ed because Szedlymayer ( 1997) had observed that internal 
reward notices persisted longer than external reward no- 
tices for red snapper ( Lutjanus eampeehanus ) in the Gulf 
of Mexcio, and that internal reward notices were noticed 
accidentally. In addition to distinct marking of each tau- 
tog, colorful reward posters were posted at over 40 mari- 
nas, boat ramps, and tackle shops in lower Chesapeake 
Bay and literature describing the project was mailed to 
over 5000 homes and businesses. 
Results 
Twenty-seven adult tautog (400-514 mm TL) were tagged 
with ultrasonic transmitters and released (16 in fall 1998, 
11 in spring 1999) near Cape Charles, VA (Table 1). Four 
tautog were released at each of the four sites in fall 1998 
and at the Coral Lump and Texeco Wreck in spring 1999. 
Two tautog were released at the Ridged Bottom and one 
tautog was released at the Airplane Wreck in spring 1999. 
Similar numbers of tautog were tagged and released at 
manmade (77 = 13) and natural bedform (77 = 14) sites. 
Eighty-one percent (77=22) of all tautog released were 
males; 19% were females. Thirteen percent (/?=2) of tau- 
tog released in fall 1998 were female; 27% (77=3) of all tau- 
tog released in spring 1999 were female. Both female tau- 
tog released in fall 1998 (ID19, ID28) were released at the 
Texeco Wreck. One female tautog was released at the Tex- 
eco Wreck (ID37) and two female tautog were released at 
the Coral Lump (ID39, ID40) in spring 1999. 
Ninety-four percent (77=15 of 16) of tautog released in 
fall 1998 remained inshore within lower Chesapeake Bay 
during winter. Ninety-one percent <77=10 of 11) of tautog 
released in spring 1999 remained inshore within the Bay 
during summer. 
All tautog (77=14) released at natural sites remained in- 
shore and were detected only at their respective release 
sites. Tautog released at the Ridged Bottom and Coral 
Lump sites were detected 99% of fish-days in fall, 71-91% 
of fish -days in winter, 64-100% of days in spring, and 
