VIRGINIA GAME FISH TAGGING PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT

Transcription

1 VIRGINIA GAME FISH TAGGING PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT 2004 Jon A. Lucy Claude M. Bain III WILLIAM & MARY Virginia Marine Resource Report Number

2 Historic Harrison's Fishing Pier (built 1947 at West Ocean View Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia; destroyed by Hurricane Isabel September 18, 2003) Photo courtesy of Mr. Mike Harrison, Taylor s Landing Marine Center, 8166 Shore Drive, Virginia Beach, VA ( Mobile). If interested, two sizes (8 x 32 in. or 9.5 x 40 in.) of the limited edition photograph are available for sale by contacting Mr. Harrison. As with other Hampton Roads' fishing piers lost to Hurricane Isabel, anglers using Harrison's Pier contributed data on tagged and recaptured fish to the Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program. Sharing a sense of the importance of the pier to Norfolk's anglers and the Ocean View Community as a whole, the Tagging Program coordinators join many others in celebrating the pier rebuilding project. Cover Photographs: -upper left, Ken Neill releasing tagged black drum (photo: Ken Neill) -lower left, Rick Burnley releasing a 48 inch tagged red drum off stern of boat (photo: Chuck Harrison). -middle top, Chuck Harrison releasing 46-inch tagged cobia (photo: Stan Gold) -lower middle, Chuck Harrison releasing a medium-size tagged red drum (photo: Rick Burnley) -upper right, Bob Manus releasing a tagged tautog (photo: Ken Neill) -lower right, tagged speckled trout released by Chris Newcome (photo: VIMS Sea Grant) This work is the result of research supported in part by NOAA Office of Sea Grant, U.S. Department of Commerce, under grant No. NA96RG0025 to the Virginia Graduate Marine Science Consortium and the Virginia Sea Grant College Program

3 Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program Annual Report 2004* *(and 2003 update) Jon A. Lucy, Marine Recreation Specialist Virginia Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program Virginia Institute of Marine Science College of William and Mary P.O. Box 1346 Gloucester Point, VA (804) Claude M. Bain III, Director Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament Virginia Marine Resources Commission 968 Oriole Dr. South, Suite 102 Virginia Beach, VA (757) VIMS Marine Resource Report No VSG Copies available from Sea Grant Publications Office, Marine Advisory Services, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, P.O. Box 1346, Gloucester Point, VA ;

4 Target Species and Tagging Procedures Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program Smaller Fish Tag Area Larger Fish Tag Area Cobia Tautog Black Sea Bass Spadefish Speckled Trout Summer Flounder Red Drum Triggerfish Sheepshead Black Drum

5 Table of Contents Introduction and Overview... 1 Targeted Species... 1 Top Tagger and Recapture Awards... 2 Program Benefits - What's Being Learned; How Data Are Used--Species Examples... 2 Flounder... 2 Cobia... 3 Tautog... 4 Other Program Activities and Benefits... 4 Program Organization and Management... 5 Tagging Equipment... 8 Target Species Tagging and Recapture Results... 8 Black Drum & the Chesapeake Tagging Rodeo... 9 Black Sea Bass Cobia (including hatchery-reared juveniles) Flounder Gray Triggerfish Red Drum Sheepshead Spadefish Speckled Trout Tautog Tables 1-8 Figures 1-17 Appendix Tables 2003 and 2004: by Species

6 Tables Table 1. Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program Annual Tagging Awards Table 2A. Anglers Awarded Conservation Certificates for Tagging 25 or More Fish During 2003 Table 2B. Anglers Awarded Conservation Certificates for Tagging 25 or More Fish During 2004 Table 3A. Anglers Having 7 or More Fish Recaptured During 2003 Table 3B. Anglers Having 6 or More Fish Recaptured During 2004 Table 4. Tagged-recaptured Fish and Cumulative Recapture Rates by Species by Year ( ) Table 5. Flounder Long-term Recaptures (Year to Year)* Inside and Beyond Virginia Waters ( Table 6. Non-Virginia Recaptures of Tagged Flounder at Large Year to Year * ( ) Table 7. Recaptures of Tagged Adult Red Drum Southern Barrier Islands, VA into Lower Bay Table 8. Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program Long-Distance Speckled Trout Recaptures Figures Figure 1A. Tagging gun and T-Bar tags and stainless steel dart tag and applicator Figure 1B. Number of Angler Taggers by Year and 2004 Distribution by General Residence Area Figure 2A. Total Fish Tagged and Recaptured by Species ( ) Figure 2B. Total Fish Tagged and Recaptured ( /2003/2004) Figure 3. Number of Tagged Fish ( ) Figure 4A. Number of Recaptured Fish ( ) Figure 4B. Total Fish Recaptures by Species ( /2003/2004) Figure 4C. Cumulative Tagged Fish Recapture Rates (%) Figure 5A. Cobia Recaptures: Chesapeake Bay Site Fidelity and Coastal Movement Figure 5B. Record Cobia Migration: Chesapeake Bay to Gulf of Mexico August 2000 to May 2004 Figure 6. Summer Flounder Tagging Locations by Effort Figure 7. Summer Flounder Site Fidelity Within Years ( ) Figure 8A. Flounder Site Fidelity Buckroe Pier ; Single and Multiple Recaptures of Tagged Fish Figure 8B. Flounder Site Fidelity Buckroe Pier: Early, Mid, and Late Summer 2003; Multiple Recaptures of Tagged Fish continued

7 Figures (continued) Figure 9A. Flounder Tagged Norfolk Naval Base Pier 2004 (Single Recaptures at Pier 2004) Figure 9B. Flounder Tagged Norfolk Naval Base Pier 2004 (Multiple Recaptures at Pier 2004) Figure 10A. Flounder Tagged Rudee Inlet 2004 (Single Recaptures at Rudee 2004) Figure 10B. Flounder Tagged Rudee 2004 (Multiple Recaptures Inlet Area 2004) Figure 11. Flounder Movement Within Chesapeake Bay by Year ( ) Figure 12. Flounder Long-Term Fidelity (Yr. to Yr.) to Virginia Fishing Areas ( ) Figure 13. Coastal Movement of Flounder Tagged in Virginia Figure 14. Yearling Red Drum Movement from VA Power Plant Areas Figure 15. Adult Red Drum Movement NC to VA Waters; Movement VA Adult Drum, Spring - Fall Figure 16. Yearling Red Drum Movement Within Chesapeake Bay Area and Chesapeake Bay to Outer Banks, NC Figure 17. Long-Distance Speckled Trout Recaptures:

8 Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program 2004 (and 2003 Update) Introduction and Overview The Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program (VGFTP), initiated in 1995, coordinates tagging and a tagrecapture fish database generated through contributed efforts of a dedicated corps of trained marine anglers. Through , the program s database includes over 78,000 records of tag-released fish and approximately 7,800 recapture records of tagged fish. Primary funding support for the tagging program is from the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) using the state s Saltwater Recreational Fishing License Funds. Annual funding proposals are submitted to VMRC s Recreational Fishing Advisory Board for peer-review, public comment, and recommendations for funding. The RFAB recommendation is then voted upon by VMRC Commissioners. The project is operated cooperatively by C. Bain, Director of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament (under VMRC), and J. Lucy, Recreation Specialist, VIMS Marine Advisory Program. Significant matching funds are provided by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science of the College of William and Mary. There is also additional administrative support provided by the Virginia Sea Grant Program, a federal funding source (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-NOAA) of major significance to VIMS as part of the broader Virginia Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program. Only select fish (currently 10 species) are targeted, species important to the state s marine recreational fisheries but for which there is little or no hard data available on their seasonal movements in and out of Virginia waters, nor their preferred habitat areas while using bay, coastal or offshore waters. Species may be targeted to up-date data for comparison with results from earlier, scientificallydesigned tagging studies. Care is taken to avoid duplication of long-term, ongoing tagging studies, i.e., striped bass are not tagged. Experienced angler taggers are maintained at approximately individuals, increasing to the 200 level for the first time in This level of participation keeps the program manageable and produces productive numbers of tagged and recaptured fish. Target Species This report summarizes tagging results from 2003 through Target species for are black drum, black sea bass, cobia, flounder, gray triggerfish, red drum, sheepshead, spadefish, speckled trout (spotted seatrout), and tautog. A list of the species, with scientific names, appears later in the report. Gray trout (weakfish), targeted from , but producing less than one percent recapture rates, was dropped from the program in Showing signs of resurgence, summer flounder replaced the species. Tagging flounder in spring 2000 has proven a productive direction change for the program. Improvement in recruitment to the flounder stock, and expanding abundance of legal and trophy size age classes, have resulted in strong numbers of fish tagged each year (3,500-7,200 per year; ). The majority of tagged flounder are inches total length (TL), but tagging of larger fish (> 16 inches) is expanding somewhat as the abundance of legal fish slowly improves. 1

9 Top Tagger and Recaptures Awards The year resulted in one of the strongest tagging efforts in the 10 year history of the program. Trained taggers are honored each year with handsome plaques, one award going to the tagger having the most recaptures reported for his tagging efforts during the year, and a series of awards for the most tagged fish in each species category. Lee Hughes, tagging over 1000 flounder in Rudee Inlet during springsummer-early fall, received the Most Recaptured Fish 2004 award, his efforts resulting in 138 reported recaptures. The 2003 and 2004 award winners are listed in Table 1. For most tagged fish overall, the award went to Gil Rigo in 2003 and Scott Vinson in In 2003 Wayne Seymour tagged the most red drum while in 2004 the honor was earned by Dennis Cline. Regarding speckled trout, Rob Holtz won the top tagger award in 2003 while Ed Shepherd took the award in 2004 (the latter tagging mostly at the Yorktown Hot Ditch). Often the leaders for one year are again leaders the next year, but sometimes for a different species. The 2004 top tagger award for tautog was Ken Neill of Yorktown (206 fish). Another structure angler, Rob Collins of Virginia Beach, took the top tagger award for gray triggerfish (105 fish) and black sea bass (151 fish). Rob Collins won the tagging awards for gray triggerfish and tautog in Bob Lee was the top spadefish tagger (78 fish) in 2004; Stanley Gold won the award in Charter Captain Jim Jenrette (running the Buccaneer out of Cape Charles) was top tagger for black drum (18 fish) and also cobia (6 fish), the latter fishery experiencing a very poor year during Angler Dennis Cline has helped the tagging program a great deal over recent years by focusing tagging effort on adult red drum along the Eastern Shore barrier island beaches, tagging 68 total reds in Taggers are honored each year for tagging 25 or more fish during the year. They also are recognized when their tagging efforts result in 6-7 or more recaptures during the year. The lists of winners in both categories for 2003 and 2004 are shown in Tables 2A and 2B and Tables 3A and 3B, respectively. Program Benefits-What s Being Learned; How Data Are Used--Species Examples Flounder Flounder recapture data are showing a previously undefined pattern of habitat use in lower Chesapeake Bay and around Virginia s coastal inlets. Sub-legal flounder arriving in the bay from offshore are consistently demonstrating strong site-fidelity patterns from May through October in association with numerous structure sites in the lower bay, as well at certain ocean inlets (especially Chincoteague, but also Rudee Inlet in 2004). Such behavior had been suggested by earlier VIMS flounder tagging studies, but the data were quite sparse. The tagging program now has good numbers of within season recaptures (single, but also multiple recaptures of the same tagged fish) defining the pattern at several fishing piers and other structure sites. 2

10 In addition, flounder tagged and released during the year in the bay, and around Chincoteague Inlet, are showing patterns of returning in small numbers the following year to the same general location where first tagged. They show about one inch growth on average. A small portion of bay and Chincoteague tagged flounder are also showing wide latitudinal dispersal the following winter-spring after they move offshore to the continental shelf. Supporting previous studies, but also showing more distinctive southward dispersal, tagged flounder are regularly recaptured the following year from New Jersey/Long Island Sound/Connecticut waters south to the North-South Carolina line. See the flounder section for detailed results. The program s flounder tag-recapture results have been shared with fishing clubs and highlighted in the VIMS Sea Grant Marine Resources Bulletin quarterly magazine. We also are sharing our results with researchers and fishery managers by presenting results at scientific meetings. In May 2004 we were invited by the tag manufacturer, Hallprint, Ltd., to display and man a large-format poster at the Fourth World Fisheries Congress in Vancouver, BC (over 1,100 delegates attended). The program received unprecedented exposure to fishery researchers and managers because the tag manufacturer requested we include the poster in its trade show exhibit. Featured in the trade show, the Game Fish Tagging Program poster was on display five full days. The presentation addressed overall program objectives and accomplishments, particularly with reference to flounder, red drum, cobia, tautog, and black sea bass. The program s flounder data were summarized at a Flatfish Conference (December 2004 in Connecticut), the meeting s attendees (100+) representing marine research labs and universities along the Atlantic coasts. Of special interest were our site fidelity data for juvenile flounder at Hampton s Buckroe Fishing Pier (where the pattern has held for four years, ). The within season site fidelity pattern over a period of years for newly recruiting and returning fish, was welcomed by New Jersey researchers. Our site fidelity results are similar to acoustic tag tracking patterns they observed for juvenile summer flounder in a small coastal river. Data compiled from an array of buoyed hydrophones, plus from actively monitoring positions of acoustically tagged flounder by boat, indicated the New Jersey fish moved relatively little throughout the river over extended summer periods. Cobia Tag-recapture data for cobia document that either annually, or at least 1-2 times over periods of 2-5 years, bay-tagged fish return to Chesapeake Bay waters. Spawning has been documented to occur during summer months in the lower Bay through other studies supported by the Recreational Fishing Development Fund. Adult cobia tagged inside the Bay have been recaptured again in the Bay after being at large for periods of 1-5 years, with several fish being recaptured in the Bay more than once over periods of 1-3 years post tagging. After leaving the Bay in late summer, tagged cobia have also been recaptured along North Carolina beaches in fall-winter months, and as far south as Florida (at St. Augustine and Melbourne, February-March 2002). The tagging program holds the long-distance record for coastal movement of cobia, the only such well-documented record known to exist. A 38 inch TL fish tagged in August 2000 at York Spit (in lower Chesapeake Bay) was recaptured in May 2004 at an oil-gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico (about 30+ miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River Delta). Traveling a minimum, straight-line distance of miles (in 1,367 days), the cobia covered the equivalent of more than 3

11 one mile per day. Growing from 38 to 55 inches (FL), the fish was likely a 6-year old female (according to Dr. Jim Franks, Gulf Coast Research Lab, Gulf Springs, MI, also conducting tagging studies on cobia). Tautog The program s tautog tag-recapture data have helped support the VIMS/VMRC position with the Tautog Technical Committee of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), i.e., Virginia s plan for maintaining status quo regulations on the state s largely recreational fishery was appropriate. At the 2003 ASMFC Committee meeting, Mr. Jack Travelstead of VMRC, in concert with Dr. John Hoenig of VIMS Fisheries Sciences Department, convinced Committee members that Virginia should be exempted from a 25% cutback in fish landings being put into effect for more northern states where the stock is more heavily fished. Catch-curve analyses using VMRC Virginia landing/dockside sample data, also supported lower fishing pressure on the species in Virginia compared to states north of New Jersey. Equally as important, tag returns through 2004 show only three fish out of 1,410 recaptured tautog (0.2%) have moved beyond Chesapeake Bay or Virginia offshore waters. The tagging program s data on lengths of fish tagged also now make up a significant part (about 50%) of fisheries data used to characterize the size distribution of captured and released fish for the recreational fishery s southern management region (New Jersey to Virginia). In addition, a special analysis of the tautog tagging data and VMRC landing data, funded in by the Recreational Fisheries Advisory Board/VMRC (J. Hoenig, D. Hepworth, and J. Lucy, PI s), strengthened Virginia s position with the ASMFC regarding how our fishery warrants being managed somewhat differently than that in northern states. The tagging data analysis confirmed that in Virginia waters there is little seasonal movement of tautog inshore-offshore, the case from New York north. Tagging results show that the majority of tagged tautog recaptured appear to remain at or near the site of initial tagging for periods of at least 1-4 years. Other Program Activities and Benefits The VGFTP continues to be involved in the ASMFC Interstate Tagging Committee. The Committee has been developing guidelines for evaluating research-based and angler-assisted tagging programs to ensure program quality and long-term management/sharing of databases. Ultimately the effort should provide a general certification mechanism for marine fishery tagging programs. The Committee has developed a Tagging Program web site which serves as a guide to anglers and organizations interested in becoming more involved in tagging, as well as a resource for determining tag types and tag color/number series used for various fish and shark tagging efforts. A strong element of the VGFTP lies in its flexibility to take advantage of successful spawns of targeted species and direct significant tagging effort at the resulting large numbers of fish being caught and released by anglers. This was especially important during when the highest abundance levels in decades of small red drum (puppy drum) appeared in Chesapeake Bay and Rudee Inlet. Late summer-fall tagging, especially in Lynnhaven Inlet (and to a lesser degree in Rudee Inlet), documented some puppy drum began leaving the Bay as early as late August 2002, moving episodically south along the North Carolina beaches. The pulses of small drum moving out of Lynnhaven Inlet were well defined in time. Large numbers of fish were tagged over weekly periods. While recaptures showed groups of fish periodically leaving the inlet, numbers of fish tagged 4

12 during the same weeks (late August through mid-september) remained inside the inlet, continuing to be recaptured there through September until late October. Puppy drum from the strong 2002 run were also documented to over-winter in the warm-water discharges of power plants. Good numbers of drum were tagged in fall-winter months both at the Elizabeth River Hot Ditch and the York River Hot Ditch (at the Yorktown Power Station). Regarding the attraction of warm-water discharge areas to red drum (and other species such a speckled trout), in mid-february 2003 Dominion Resources contacted J. Lucy at VIMS regarding coordinating a puppy drum tagging effort at the Yorktown Power Station discharge canal. This was timely given that VGFTP tagger, S. Vinson, had already tagged just over 100 small drum at the site during December A one-day Red Drum Tagging Rodeo was therefore co-sponsored by Dominion Resources, VIMS, and the VGFTP (see photos, next page). Over 40 anglers, many from the Richmond area, plus VGFTP taggers, Dominion biologists, and VIMS staff worked together on March 7, tagging and releasing just over 100 puppy drum at the Yorktown site. The effort also resulted in several recaptures, and re-releases, of drum tagged earlier. Signs were also posted at the canal about the special tagging effort, including emphasizing to anglers the importance of writing down the tag numbers of recaptured fish, then re-leasing the fish. Such special effort by anglers can result in multiple recaptures of the same fish, extremely valuable data for documenting fish use patterns of given areas. The 2003 project with Dominion Resources provided an excellent educational and fisheries conservation experience for participants. In addition, the regional community, both anglers and nonanglers alike, learned about the tagging effort, and the importance of reporting tagged fish, through excellent press coverage of the event, i.e., significant articles appeared in the Virginian-Pilot, Daily Press, and Richmond Times Dispatch newspapers. The success of the York River project encouraged the same partners to organize another day-long, educational event in January 2004 at Dominion Resources Chesapeake Energy Center on the Elizabeth River (see photos, next page). Also cosponsored by Bass Pro Shops, this event is described in more detail in the species section on black drum. Tagging at the power plants has also revealed that fish holding in the discharge canal of the Yorktown Plant, after moving back out into the bay, may over-winter again in the vicinity of the Elizabeth River power plant, i.e., a speckled trout tagged in fall 2004 at the Yorktown Power Plant was recaptured during winter 2005 in the Elizabeth River Hot Ditch area. Program Organization and Management Keeping the program small and manageable is essential to its success. Key program elements are good communication with taggers, quality control of data, and regularly scheduled angler training workshops. All such program elements reinforce program objectives and practices with participants. The program also encourages teamwork among taggers and their angling associates. The result is compilation of useful information for both the angling and research-management communities. The 5

13 program also provides the angling community with first-hand, hard evidence that using sound catch and release practices on undersize fish produces useful information and better catches in the future. Yorktown Power Station March 2003 CEC, Elizabeth River January 2004 CEC, Elizabeth River - January

14 New taggers must pre-register to enter the program s annual, training workshops (typically held during February-early March). Notices and announcements for preregistration are sent out in late fall to newspapers, and to a list of interested anglers. To continue in the program, existing taggers must also re-register each year. Tagging training workshops are typically held at four locations each winter. The workshops are mandatory for new taggers (those responding to sign-up announcements during December-January), and who are trained on a first registered-first served basis (subject to the program s cap). The workshops not only train new taggers (program objectives, data recordingsubmission, practice tagging on freshly iced fish specimens) but also provide overviews of recent tagging and recapture results. Experienced taggers are encouraged to periodically attend annual training workshops in their area, not only to be updated on tagging results and issues, but to share ideas and information on problems and experiences during the previous fishing season. The workshops provide face-to-face communication among program participants and encourage discussions such as tagging and data keeping variations which existing (and even new) members feel can make their tagging more efficient (tagging is done from shore, piers, private, and charter boats). Information about problem issues occurring with tags or tagging equipment are also discussed and resolved. Workshop participants are updated on tag retention field and tank trial efforts with target (or similar) species, work either ongoing under the VGFTP at VIMS or associated with other researcherbased tagging studies (photo above: evaluating tags in red drum before release at CEC power plant). The workshops also served to remind taggers to focus on quality tagging practices and data recording, elements critical to the value of the database to researchers and fishery managers. Experience has proven keeping the program to a manageable number of taggers is important in maintaining good communication among participants. Numbers of taggers have ranged from about 150 to almost 200 in 2004 (Fig. 1B). The taggers are well-dispersed around coastal regions, helping to insure that the lower bay gets reasonable tagging coverage (Fig. 1B). Critical communication needs include addressing tagging and data recording problems when they occur, keeping taggers supplied (tags, tagging equipment, water-resistant data sheets), having tagging data reported accurately and submitted promptly, and providing feedback on when and where fish were tagged. Such information goes both to individuals reporting tagged-fish recaptures, as well as to the respective taggers of the fish. 7

15 Tagging Equipment Tagging equipment is shown in Figure 1A. Tagging guns and Hallprint T-Bar tags are used for fish generally inches in length. The Hallprint stainless steel dart tag (with tagging applicator) is used for large black and red drum, as well as large cobia. See for tag details. Target Species-2002/2003/2004 Black Drum Black Sea Bass Cobia Flounder (fluke) Gray Triggerfish Red Drum Sheepshead Spadefish Speckled Trout Tautog (Pogonias cromis) (Centropristis striata) (Rachycentron canadum) (Paralichthys dentatus) (Balistes capriscus) (Sciaenops ocellatus) (Archosargus probatocephalus) (Chaetodipterus faber) (Cynoscion nebulosus) (Tautoga onitis) Tagging and Recapture Results An overview of the program s tagging and recapture results are shown in Figures 2A through 4C. Figure 2A shows the relationship between raw numbers of tagged and recaptured fish from From this figure, one can see that large numbers of targeted fish must be tagged in order to obtain sufficient recapture data for interpretation of possible patterns of movement and site fidelity for respective species. Figure 2B contrasts the cumulative number of tagged fish by species for the past three years (2002, 2003, and 2004), with the cumulative number of each species recaptured (last data row; light blue bars). Again this illustrates how much tagging effort must occur for a tagging program to produce useful information. The figure also gives one a quick overview of the cumulative pattern of tagging which has occurred for each species. In particular, it shows that the program has experienced its greatest relative increase in tagging with respect to flounder. Figures 3 and 4A summarize the numbers of fish tagged and recaptured, by species, for the program since 1998 through One can see the considerable variation that occurs from year to year. Tagging output is always dependent upon the number of taggers in the program and their respective tagging effort, the weather during a given year (does it allow consistent fishing for certain species, especially at offshore sites), and variations in the abundance of target species. Figure 4B shows the patterns of cumulative recaptures by species resulting from the program tagging effort. Black sea bass, flounder, and tautog obviously are where the most recaptures have occurred during However, red drum are making a relatively strong showing. Data for all these top 8

16 species is now being considered by management agencies as they update respective species fishery management plans. Cumulative recapture rates from by species are shown in Figure 4C. The better rates of recapture reporting from are for cobia (14-16%), tautog (16-17%), and black sea bass (15-16%). Flounder, red drum, sheepshead, and spadefish have good recapture rates, running from about 9-11%. While speckled trout return rates remain low, as explained in the species section later in the report, the quality of data coming back on speckled trout warrants its continued tagging effort. Gray triggerfish recapture rates, 27-37%, are not included, exceeding the Figure s scale. Complimenting Figures 2A-4C, Table 4 shows cumulative count data for tagged and recaptured fish by species for One can quickly scan the table to see how species results have compared, and changed relative to one another over the past three years. Cumulative recapture rates by year are also shown in Table 4. Black Drum (including results of the 2004 Chesapeake Tagging Rodeo) 2003 (See Appendix Tables) During 2003 less than 175 black drum were tagged, a similar effort to In January 2003, and at the end of the year (late November-December), a few small juvenile fish (10-11 in.) were tagged at the Elizabeth River Hot Ditch area. The majority of tagging focused on large fish (35-50 in.; mid-may through June) in the lower bay (Inner Middle Ground Shoal, Latimer Shoal, Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel [CBBT], the Cabbage Patch, etc.). In the same time frame a few younger fish (17-24 inches and inches) were tagged at Parramore Island (Eastern Shore) and in the bay at the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, the CBBT, and also on Inner Middle Ground Shoal. Tagging picked up again from September through early November on juvenile drum (7-9 in.) in the lower York River (Felgates Creek, Yorktown beach jetties), in Lynnhaven Inlet, and the Virginia Beach surf (south of Rudee Inlet at Dam Neck). A few small fish (17-26 in.) were also tagged during September-October at the Kiptopeke State Park Pier, the CBBT, and on the Inner Middle Ground Shoal. Recaptures-2003 There were only two recaptures of black drum during Except for 1998, this was the poorest year for the species in the program s history. One recapture was very important, documenting the very rapid migration of juvenile black drum down the VA-NC beaches in fall. The cumulative recapture rate for the species remained at 6%, remaining steady in part because numbers of tagged drum were down in (compared to nearly 400 tagged fish in 2001) (Figs. 3 and 4C). -Fish (30 in.) tagged (C. Johnson) on Inner Middle Ground Shoal 5/25/03 was recaptured nearby on Latimer Shoal 6/12 (18 DAL) and released again, but without its tag (A. Culanding). Rapid Movement Virginia Beach to Bogue Inlet, NC -Juvenile (8 in.) tagged (D. Wehner) in the Virginia Beach surf 9/27/03 was recaptured at Bogue Inlet Fishing Pier, Emerald Isle, NC on 10/17, after only 20 DAL (reported by F. Bouie). 9

17 2004 (See Appendix Tables) The 2004 year started out with a small number of juvenile black drum (22 fish, 8-12 inches TL) tagged in the Elizabeth River Hot Ditch. Tagged inside the Chesapeake Energy Center warm-water canal, the fish were among about 40 total fish tagged on January 30, The one-day Chesapeake Tagging Rodeo was organized cooperatively with Dominion Resources, VIMS, VMRC, and the Game Fish Tagging Program. Several local tackle businesses also provided assistance. Bass Pro Shops in Hampton provided extra terminal tackle for the taggers. Fishing in the canal often results in loosing rigs on hangs. The event s overall objectives were (1) to focus a concentrated, one-day tagging effort on species over-wintering in the power plant canal to compliment ongoing tagging of small red drum and speckled trout in areas adjacent to the canal (the broader area called the Elizabeth River Hot Ditch by anglers), and (2) to educate the angling community about the tagging program, i.e., how its data is being used to benefit various fisheries and the importance of anglers reporting tagged fish for the program to remain effective. Recaptures obtained on such fish would help determine their residence time in the canal proper, as well as movement of fish between the canal and the larger Hot Ditch area. The project attracted nearly 70 anglers, some from as far away as Richmond. With assistance from a number of Dominion biologists and VIMS staff, nearly 100 participants tagged and released fish for about 5 hours. While the catch was lower than hoped for, about 20 juvenile black drum were tagged, along with 15 red drum and several speckled trout (and one undersize flounder). A unique finding for the tagging program was documenting that significant numbers of juvenile black drum were over-wintering inside the canal. Tagging 2004 (non-rodeo effort) The year s regular black drum tagging effort began in early May. Just under 160 drum (primarily adults but also some juveniles) were tagged at Latimer and Inner Middle Ground Shoals. Tagging persisted there through early June. While some fish were inches long, the majority were inches, with a few larger fish also tagged (47-53 inches fish). A 26 inch drum was tagged June 3 at Wolf Trap Light on the western side of the bay. Another large drum were tagged around the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel islands (May 22-30). From mid-september to the end of November, juvenile black drum were being caught in Lynnhaven and Rudee Inlet waters, and nearly 40 fish (8-11 inches) were tagged, primarily in these locations. A few larger (19-20 inch) drum were also tagged in September off Lamberts Point. A few small drum continued to be tagged in late fall at the Little Island Fishing Pier (Sandbridge), and six (6) small fish (9-11 inches), were tagged at Avon, NC (D. Wehner). The tagging program encourages Virginia taggers to also tag target species (only target species) in North Carolina waters given the species seasonally move between the two states. Only five recaptures of black drum occurred during 2004, the cumulative recapture rate for the species dropping from 6% to 5%. Four of the recaptures were juvenile drum tagged in the Elizabeth 10

18 River area or at the Yorktown Power Station warm-water canal (the Yorktown Hot Ditch as it is known to local anglers). Recaptures-2004 (See Appendix Tables) Recapture data follow (all recaptured fish were released again with their tags): -Black drum (9.75 in.) tagged (N. Wooding) 1/30/04 in the Chesapeake Energy Center canal as part of the tagging rodeo; recaptured (A. Strbavy) still in the canal 2/14/04 (15 DAL). -A drum (19 in.) tagged (R. Guyot) 9/12/04 in the Elizabeth River (Norfolk-Portsmouth waterfront area); recaptured (C. Sherwood) 11/14/04 (32 DAL) in the Southern Branch of the River. -Two juvenile drum ( in.) tagged (E. Shepherd) 11/3 and 11/21 at the Yorktown Hot Ditch jetties (where the canal empties into the York River); one recaptured (Y. Niebuonrit) same site 11/3 (same day tagged) and the other (T. Jones) 12/09 (18 DAL). -Adult drum (30 in.) tagged (T. Capoldo) 5/9/04 Inner Middle Ground Shoal; recaptured (B. Braendle) again at the Shoal (Buoy 12) 5/22/04 (13 DAL). Black Sea Bass (See Appendix Tables) 2003 During 2003 declines in sea bass recreational fishery catches naturally impacted output of the tagging program, as did some drop in the numbers of trained taggers. No tagging training workshops were held during winter 2003 because of uncertainty in staff changes during that time. Numbers of tagged fish (just over 900) were almost half the level for 2002 (1,732). Tagging concentrated typically on offshore structures (the 4A Buoy Dry Dock, Chesapeake Light Tower Reef, Page Wreck off Wachapreague, out to the Birch Lake Wreck (18 miles off Wreck Island) and the Triangle Wrecks (about 30 miles offshore). A small tagging effort on 9-12 inch fish occurred inside Eastern Shore inlet waters (Chincoteague Inlet area and the Spit Marker inside Ship Shoal Inlet). In and around the bay mouth, small black sea bass were tagged at the Anglo-American Wreck (just east of Nautilus Shoal, SE of Fisherman s Island), the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT), and structure sites from Kiptotpeke Pier-Concrete Ships up the seaside Eastern Shore to areas off the town of Cape Charles. Long-term Recaptures In 2003 there were several recaptures of sea bass having been at large for 4-5 years, and six recaptures of fish tagged at offshore sites during These recaptures are highlighted by the following examples. Most fish were 9-13 in. TL. -Fish (9in.) tagged (B. Noel) at the Triangle Wrecks 4/18/98; recaptured inshore at the Turn of the Century (Winthrop tug) Wreck (about four miles off Virginia Beach oceanfront) 3/9/03 (1,786 DAL/4.9 yrs.); recaptured by S. Wray and estimated to be 18 in. 11

19 -Fish (9 in.) tagged (R. Collins) at the 4A Buoy Dry Dock (SE of Rudee Inlet) 9/12/99; recaptured (R. Pellegtier) at the Tercel Wreck 5/21/03 (1,347 DAL/3.7 yrs.); estimated at 17 in., it was released with its tag. Year to Year Recaptures -Fish tagged (R. Collins) at the Chesapeake Light Tower Reef 9/13/02; recaptured at a wreck 10 miles off Chincoteague (J. Dawson, commercial fisherman) 9/14/03 (366 DAL); released without its tag. Fish tagged (J. Wright) at Dr. Wright s Wreck off Cape Charles on 11/21/02; recaptured off Virginia Beach (mid-shore waters) 5/8/03 (168 DAL); released with its tag (M. Hodges). Two fish tagged in 2002 were recaptured again on the same wreck in 2003: -Fish tagged (T. Capoldo) at the Ricks Wreck 6/29/02; recaptured again at the Ricks Wreck 6/2/03 (338 DAL); reported by H. Gordon. -Fish tagged (R. Collins) at the Gulf Hustler Wreck 9/13/02; recaptured (R. Case) at the same wreck again on 8/15/03 (336 DAL). Site Fidelity At Offshore Wrecks- Single Recaptures Summer to Fall Seven fish (12-16 in.) tagged at the Triangle Wrecks (Cuyahoga, Haviland, Morgan Wrecks) from 4/27-6/27/03; recaptured on the same wrecks 6/24-8/21 (58-80 DAL) and 9/29-11/6/03 ( DAL). Three sea bass (9-12 in.) tagged (G. Reiger) on the Page Wreck (off Wachapreague) on 6/6/03; recaptured again on the wreck 6/25-11/22/03 (19 and 169 DAL). Eight fish (9-12 in.) tagged at the Chesapeake Light Rower Reef (M. Perron, B. Perron, R. Guyot, R. Collins, etc.) 4/27-10/5/03; recaptured at the same general area 5/1-11/3/03 (four for 4-17 DAL and four for DAL). Site Fidelity from Multiple Recaptures 2003 The Spit (inside ES Ship Shoal Inlet) -Sea bass (9 in.) tagged (D. Wehner) at the Spit (Marker 24) 6/27/03; same fish recaptured at the same location on 7/10, 7/18, and 8/22 (after 13, 21, and 56 DAL); D. Wehner recaptured his own tagged fish twice, releasing it with its tag, and J. Gerrell captured it the last time, releasing it without its tag. Another fish tagged 7/18 at the Spike was recaptured 7/26 and 7/28 (8 and 10 DAL), released with its tag by G. Gerrell and W. Derrell. 12

20 -Fish tagged (R. Collins) at the Anglo-American Wreck (SE of Fisherman s Island near mouth of Bay) 5/30/03; recaptured 6/23 and 6/27 at the wreck (24 and 28 DAL), released with its tag by J. Dail and C. Cool). Birch Lake Wreck Two fish (12 in.) tagged (D. Sturt) 7/1/03 at the Birch Lake Wreck; each recaptured two times, both on 8/6 (36 DAL), then each again, one 8/9 (39 DAL) and the other on 8/21/03 (51 DAL); all fish were released with their tags (D. Easton.C. Lewis Jr., R. Gianni). -Six other sea bass (11-12 in.) were also tagged on the same site 7/1/03 (D. Sturt); recaptured 7/15-8/10/03 (14-39 DAL); released again with their tags by the same anglers previously listed plus C. Lewis III, D. Lewis, and N. Gianni Just over 900 black sea bass were tagged in 2004, similar to the tagging effort in Most of the tagging naturally occurred on offshore wrecks, focusing on fish 6-12 inches long at the Chesapeake Light Tower Artificial Reef sites, other wrecks in the general tower area, and the Page Wreck off Wachapreague. In the fall tagging continued at these sites with additional effort directed at inshore sites like the 4A Buoy Dry Dock and the Tiger Wreck, southeast of Rudee Inlet. During late summer, some tagging effort was also focused on bay sites, including the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, the Back River Reef, and at Rudee Inlet, largely on smaller fish (7-10 inches). In early to mid September sea bass were also tagged in the area of Chincoteague Inlet, in Lynnhaven Inlet near the mouth of the bay, and at the Cherrystone Artificial Reef (just north of the town of Cape Charles and inshore of Buoy 36A). Sea Bass Tag Retention Study (NOAA Fisheries-VGFTP) In early October the Game Fish Tagging Program was able to do a double-tagging project on black sea bass in cooperation with an ongoing NOAA Fisheries project. The NOAA Fisheries project involved tagging black sea bass off Virginia as well as off states to the north. Starting in , the study s main objective was to update data for use in the pending black sea bass stock assessment for the northeast region. During two days (October 7-8), with volunteer anglers on two boats, 230 fish were released with tagging program T-bar tags. The effort concentrated on wrecks offshore and southeast of the Chesapeake Light Tower, and also on the Triangle Wrecks area. Of these tagged fish, 180 were double tagged, each fish also carrying a NOAA Fisheries yellow internal anchor (belly) tag. The objective of the tagging project was two-fold, one to access tag retention of the Game Fish T-bar tag in sea bass, and secondly, to provide NOAA Fisheries with comparative tag-retention data on the two tag types. Part of the NOAA Fisheries sea bass tagging study taking place in New Jersey waters involved using T-bar tags. To incorporate the New Jersey tag return data into the overall study, information on the relative retention rates of the two tag types had to be obtained. 13

21 During 2004, 13 recaptures of the double-tagged sea bass were reported. All fish retained both tags, with most being at large days (recaptured primarily from the Bass Spike, Gulf Hustler, and Triangle Wrecks). A sea bass not part of the tag-retention study was also tagged 10/9/04 on the Triangle Wrecks. Like the double-tagged fish, it was recaptured still at the same site on 11/11/04 (33 DAL). This recapture provides some indication that the double-tagged fish behaved no differently than single-tagged fish. Some recaptures of the double-tagged black sea bass (see photo) continued being reported in 2005, particularly important for the tag retention study. To date, the retention rates of both the internal anchor tag (yellow or red) and the T-bar (range) tag are 100%, very useful data for both tagging programs. Recaptures Some of the more interesting recapture records follow: Multiple Recaptures: Short-term Site Fidelity Multiple recaptures of black sea bass occurred at two tagging sites: -Tiger Wreck: Fish (10 in.) tagged (B. Lee) 7/15/04 at the Tiger Wreck; recaptured at same site (D. Lightfoot and H. Williams) on two consecutive days, 8/27 and 8/28 (43 and 44 DAL); re-released with its tag in place. -Chincoteague Channel area: two double recaptures and a triple recapture of individual fish (10-11 in.); Two fish tagged 8/11 and 8/17/04 (M. Handforth) in the channel area were recaptured in the area again, one on 8/19-20 (8-9 DAL) and the other 9/11 & 9/22 (25 and 36 DAL). -A sea bass tagged 9/4 in the same area was recaptured three different times, i.e., on 9/11, 9/14, and 9/22 (8, 11, and 19 DAL). Single Recaptures: Short-term Site Fidelity Offshore Recaptures -The referenced double-tag, tag retention trial on offshore wrecks documented 13 fish tagged 10/7-8/04 (J. Lucy) remained on their respective sites until late October to mid-november 2004 (20-42 DAL). - Two sea bass tagged at the Chesapeake Light Tower 3/15-4/19/04 (A. Bunnell, K. Neill); recaptured again at the Tower area 5/14-22 (25 and 68 DAL); reported by T. Burks and B. Cheshire, released without their tags. -Four sea bass (10-11 in.) tagged (R. Willet) at the Page Wreck 9/22/04; all four recaptured still at the wreck on 10/4 (12 DAL); reported and released with their tags by R. Willet and M. Bull. 14

22 Inshore Recaptures -Two small juvenile sea bass (4 in.) tagged 7/2/04 9 (D. Casady) at the CBBT Sea Gull Fishing Pier, recaptured again at the pier 7/16 and 7/22 (14 and 17 DAL/ 2-4 weeks); one was released with its tag. -Four sea bass (7.5-9 in.) tagged 9/12-10/2/04 (R. Collins and S. Wray) in Lynnhaven Inlet s Long Creek area; recaptured in the same area from 9/22-10/17 (10-15 DAL). -Another sea bass tagged in the Inlet 7/23/04; recaptured at the Inlet s Lesner Bridge 9/30 (69 DAL); released again with its tag by B. Jenks. -Two fish tagged 10/2 and 10/9/04 (S. Spiers) at the Mussel Beds off Cape Charles, recaptured at the same site 10/23 and 10/29 (14 and 27 DAL); both released again with their tags (C. Haywood and S. Eaddy). -Four fish tagged at Rudee Inlet 8/7-31/04 (L. Hughes, C. Hester); recaptured again at the Inlet 8/18-9/17 (12-27 DAL); all released again with their tags (N. Migliaro, J. Rosenthal, R. Crews, and C. Easter). Long-term Recaptures (Year to Year)-Little & Significant Net Movement (Fish in.) -Fish tagged at Assateague Channel (M. Handforth) 9/24/03; recaptured (F. Eisenhart) nearby at Tom s Cove 10/9/04 (381 DAL), estimated to be 14 in. -Fish tagged at the Birch Lake Wreck (about 18 nm E. of Wreck Island) on 7/1/03 (D. Sturt); moved to waters off Cape May, NJ, recaptured 2/15/04 (229 DAL) by a commercial boat (reported by Wanchese Fish Co.). -Fish tagged at the Cape Henry Wreck 10/20/02 (R. Guyot); recaptured 6/1/04 off Ocean City, MD in a fish pot (590 DAL/1.6 yrs.). -Fish tagged at the Katy Brown Wreck (7 miles NE CLT) 6/9/01 (R. Collins); recaptured (J. Martens) 3/1/04 on the 44 Fathom Wreck (996 DAL/2.7 yrs.). Cobia (see Appendix Tables) 2003 Compared to annual tagging effort on cobia starting in1995, 2003 accounted for the lowest effort to date (13 fish). Likewise, the fewest number of cobia recaptures (4) in the program s history were also reported (Fig. 3 and 4A). As in past years, while low in number, the cobia recaptures were very important in documenting the pattern of bay-tagged adult cobia returning again to the bay one or more years post tagging. Recapture details follow: 15

23 -Short-term recapture: cobia (34 in. TL) tagged (Capt. J. Jenrette) on 6/30/03 near Plantation Light off the Town of Cape Charles was recaptured 20 days later, having crossed the bay where it was recaptured off Back River 7/20/03; reported at 34 in. TL by E. Pels, it was released with its tag. Long-term bay returns of adult cobia: two fish, one tagged in the bay in 2000 and the other in 2001, demonstrated the continuing pattern of spawning size fish returning again to the bay at varying intervals. - Long-term (3 years at large) recapture: fish (49 in.) tagged (Capt. J. Jenrette) 6/24/2000 at the Cabbage Patch (about 4-5 nm south of Cape Charles harbor) was recaptured 7/19/03 (1198 DAL/3 yrs.) at Blue Fish Rock on the bay s western shore; reported as 56 inches TL by C. Graham, the fish was kept. -Long-term (2 years at large) recapture: cobia (50 in.) tagged (L. Wallace) 7/6/01 south of the Cabbage Patch area on Latimer Shoal, was recaptured in the bay again, but further to the north, at the 36 A Buoy on 7/19/03 (743 DAL/2 yrs); reported by L. Wise, it was estimated to be 48 in. and was released, the tag removed in reporting the fish. The fourth recapture in 2003 further documented the southward movement of cobia from Virginia waters, and the fact that fish sometimes spend the next summer to the south, rather than returning that year to Chesapeake Bay. Of course, cobia visiting Virginia waters during summer can migrate even further south, as shown by previous recaptures of Virginia tagged cobia recaptured along Florida s east coast (Fig. 5A). -Cobia (30 in. TL) tagged (L. Snider) on 6/20/00 off Back River (on the western side of the Bay, and north of Hampton Roads) was recaptured off Cape Lookout, NC on 6/10/03 (1198 DAL/3 yrs.); keeping the fish, J. Shute reported it as being 48 in. Juvenile Cobia - Tagging Data Sparse Until 2003 Cobia Aquaculture Project The tagging program has documented there is regular use of the bay year after year by adult fish. And such fish most likely spawn in the bay each summer (Cobia Reproduction in Chesapeake Bay Study, Dr. J. Olney, VIMS, ; funded by VMRC Recreational Fishing License Funds). It therefore stands to reason that juvenile fish from the bay (a proven cobia spawning and nursery ground) likely contribute to the overall coastal population of fish. Juvenile cobia (roughly 8-12 in. TL) are occasionally observed in significant numbers in the bay, both by anglers and often crabbers (the young fish orient to structures such as piers, buoys, and crab pots). But we have been able to learn little to nothing about habitat use or dispersal patterns of juvenile cobia in the bay. More importantly, we have no data about whether juveniles occurring in the bay one year may return again to the bay as larger fish in subsequent years. 16

24 The program has only tagged a few juvenile fish (13-24 in. TL), and just six recaptures have been reported. The tag-recapture records occurred in , all being for short periods of time (8-23 DAL). Five of the six were tagged and recaptured in the Elizabeth River Hot Ditch area, a possible winter refuge in some years for 1-2 year old cobia. However, a one DAL recapture indicated the dynamic movement such small fish may undergo while in the bay. -A 24 in. fish, tagged (M. Perron) 9/5/98 around the 36 A Buoy off Cape Charles harbor was recaptured the next day (9/6/98); the estimated 2+ lb fish had moved westward across the bay to off Horn Harbor (just north of New Point at northern edge of Mobjack Bay); reported by K. Mitchem, the undersized cobia was released with its tag. Tagging Juvenile Cobia Cooperative Effort with VIMS Aquaculture Finfish Facility 2003 During 2003 VIMS Finfish Aquaculture Facility took advantage of an unusual opportunity to tag and release over one hundred juvenile, hatchery-reared cobia. Interacting with the VGFTP on appropriate tags to use, and tag placement in smaller fish, the effort contributed significant information regarding how juvenile fish likely use the lower bay. As described in the tagging program s 2002 Annual Report, VIMS Finfish Aquaculture Lab (coordinator, Mike Oesterling, Advisory Services) captured and held in its facilities adult cobia in spawning condition. It was the first such program to achieve spawning of adult cobia in captivity. Holding the adults in large re-circulating tanks provided opportunities to test retention of Hallprint T- bar tags in both adult, and subsequently, juvenile fish. When care was taken to carefully insert the tags into the muscle and fin ray supporting bones just below the anterior portion of the dorsal fin, essentially 100 % tag retention was observed for all sizes of cobia tested. Fish sizes and holding times were as follows: 10 large adults (tagged at lbs., held 7-8 months; no tags lost), 125 juvenile fish (17-20 in. TL, held 30 days; 1 tag lost), and 10 smaller juveniles (tagged at 12 in. TL, held 2 years; no tags lost) (M. Oesterling, VIMS, personal communication). During 2002 and winter-spring 2003, VIMS Finfish Aquaculture Program raised just over 120 juvenile cobia from fingerlings acquired from South Carolina. Having to ultimately release the fish in early summer 2003, making room for spawning trials of other species, the program coordinator discussed with the VGFTP the possible benefits of tagging the juvenile cobia before their release. Given high tag retention and lack of tagging mortality observed previously in juvenile cobia, this experimental release of tagged juvenile cobia in the bay system was a win-win for both programs. The experiment s objective was to provide insight into whether hatchery-reared cobia could adapt readily to natural conditions, i.e., avoid predators, feed on natural prey, disperse in the lower bay, and possibly migrate out of the bay. Given young cobia have been observed to orient to structures like adults often do, local crabbers were alerted to the project, as were angling clubs. It was expected both groups might see tagged juveniles, 17

25 especially in crab pots and around fishing piers. Anglers might also capture the small, tagged cobia while fishing shoal areas and flats while targeting puppy (small red) drum and speckled trout. With refresher training in T-Bar tagging techniques from the Game Fish Tagging Program, the release of tagged cobia occurred July 8, To minimize stress on the tank-held fish, they were quickly transported a few at a time in 120 quart coolers to the beach adjacent to the hatchery building, the cooler then gently set in the water off the beach and turned slowing on its side so the fish could swim out. The release location was therefore the Gloucester Point beach, just upriver of the York River (Coleman) Bridge. The juveniles were released at high slack tide so that ebbing tidal currents might influence the fish to move downriver. The release consisted of 120 cobia tagged with bright yellow Hallprint T-Bar tags, distinguishing the fish from any tagged by VGFTP trained anglers. Fish length was about in. TL (average length = 21 in.), and individual fish weights were 2-4 pounds (average = 2.5 lb). A quality baseball cap, embroidered with a cobia, was provided as a reward for persons reporting recaptured cobia. Recaptures could be phoned in, with voice mail available for leaving messages, the same system showing success for the VGFTP. Of the 120 cobia tagged, 21 (17.5%) were recaptured and reported. Recaptures were divided almost 50:50 between commercial gear (crab pots and gill nets) and anglers (bait fishing using squid, cutbait, live bait, and lures). Because of good communication with both communities, nearly half of the reported fish were released again with their tags in place. Within 6-9 days post-release, six recaptures were reported from the lower York River and down the bay at the Grandview Fishing Pier. From mid-july through the first week of August 2003, the young cobia were still being recaptured in the lower York River, i.e., Aug. 6 (29 DAL) near the York River Channel Buoy 22 (from a gill net), and two fish from crab pots, on July 19 and 21 (11 and 13 DAL) near Tue Point at the mouth of the river, and another fish on August 2 (25 DAL) from a crab pot near the same location. However, during the same period, some tagged cobia had also dispersed to waters east and north of the York River mouth, i.e., recaptures July 30 (22 DAL) at mouth of East River (Mobjack Bay) and the Swash Channel connecting Mobjack Bay and the York River mouth, areas. The latter fish was measured at 22 in. TL, showing relative growth from 19.5 in. at release. It was also tagged with another VGFTP tag, then released with yellow and orange tags at the base of its dorsal fin. Double Recapture On August 2, a cobia, after only 25 days post tagging in the York River, was recaptured at the Cell (on the eastern side of the bay), having moved approximately a minimum straight-line distance of about 30 miles from its July 8th release location. Therefore it had moved a net distance of more than one mile per day since release. The fish, re-released with its tag at The Cell (Aug. 2), was recaptured a second time on Poquoson Flats, just south of the York River mouth. The recapture date was placed at October 8 (92 DAL). 18

26 Juvenile Cobia Dispersal to Lower Bay On August 14 (49 DAL), another tagged cobia was recaptured on Poquoson Flats and at the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. Recaptures also occurred in early September off the mouth of Back River (Sept. 6) and at the Buckroe Fishing Pier (Sept DAL; measured at in., growing 2.75 in. since release). The final tagged cobia report in 2003 was a fish recaptured post-hurricane Isabel (September 18). Captured in a gill net on October 21 (105 DAL), it was still inside the bay, being caught off Norfolk s west Ocean View beach (offshore the site of the Harrison Fishing Pier). Juvenile Cobia Returns to Bay in 2004 As of the end of 2004, there had been no recaptures of the juvenile cobia in waters south of the bay. However, one of the 2003 tagged juveniles was recaptured back in the bay during Caught back in the lower bay during July 2004, the fish had been at large just a few days over one year. It had grown from its release length of 21.5 inches to 34.0 inches (TL), an approximate growth rate of one inch per month. Tagging Hatchery-Reared Cobia Provided Valuable Data The results of the experimental release of hatchery-reared juvenile cobia by VIMS Finfish Aquaculture Lab filled a significant void in the Game Fish Tagging Program s database. But the data only represent one small-scale tag-release effort. If VIMS Finfish Aquaculture Facility could raise a larger number of juvenile cobia and hold them to a reasonable size for a larger scale tag-release trial, this would add significantly to what has been learned. Tagging of naturally occurring juvenile fish will never likely result in enough numbers of tagged individuals to come close to matching what was learned from this hatchery-reared fish trial. In summary, the opportunistic tag-release of hatchery reared juveniles indicated such fish (18-24 inches TL) readily adapted to natural conditions and dispersed widely throughout the lower bay. They exhibited reasonable growth. Evidence was also acquired indicating such juvenile fish can survive over winter to return to the bay the following summer. The data certainly further indicates the importance of the lower bay as a spawning area, and a nursery area, for cobia. 19

27 Juvenile cobia release (average TL 21 in.) July 2003 Juvenile cobia release (average TL 11 in.) Sept tagged cobia release juvenile fish dispersing 2004 tagged cobia release juvenile fish schooling 20

28 Cobia 2004 In comparison to previous years when 60 to 80+ adult fish were tagged, as in 2003 cobia fishing during 2004 continued to be poor and numbers of tagged fish were down. Only 31 adult fish were tagged. The majority of the fish were inches TL, with a few inch fish also tagged (the latter mostly in July on Inner Middle Ground and Latimer Shoal). Fish were primarily tagged from early June through July at expected locations, i.e., Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT), Inner Middle Ground and Latimer Shoals, and off Fisherman s Island. In mid-late August a few fish were again available. Four fish (35-51 inches) were tagged (J. Head) along the Baltimore Channel Buoy Line. Juvenile Cobia Tagging-Smaller Hatchery Fish (Experiment No. 2) The tagging program also cooperated in a second tagging project on juvenile cobia, the fish again grown from eggs at VIMS Finfish Aquaculture Facility. Approximately 150 juveniles (10-12 in. TL) were tagged with small (fine) Hallprint T-bar tags (pink color) and released September 16, The release location was just upriver from the York River Bridge off VIMS shoreline, the same location as for the 2003 project. To date, only one recapture has been reported, that being only a few days post release. An 11.5 in. fish was recaptured September 25 (only 9 DAL) in a crab pot about 6-8 miles above the York River Bridge release site (at Clay Bank on the Gloucester Co. side of the river). Adult Cobia Recaptures Regarding adult tagged fish, five recaptures occurred during 2004 (Fig 5A). One showed short-term, local movement of a inch TL fish. -Fish (55.3 in.) tagged (D. Poe) at Inner Middle Ground Shoal 6/6/04; recaptured at Bluefish Rock 6/27 (21 DAL) and released (G. Johnson) without its tag. However, three recaptures were especially significant. They documented that even with two years of significant downturn in the cobia fishery, adult, spawning-size cobia tagged in 2001, 2002, and 2003 were continuing to migrate back to the bay after over-wintering in more southern waters. -Fish (46 in.) tagged (M Firestone) at Latimer Shoal 6/27/01; recaptured at Inner Middle Ground Shoal 7/20/04 (1,119 DAL/3.1 yr.); it had returned to the bay and possibly spawned again before being caught; it was reported by S. Morgan. -Fish (26 in.) tagged (R. Guyot) at the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel 8/31/02; recaptured off Grandview (Hampton) 6/15/04 (654 DAL/1.8 yrs.); being now 44 inches, the recapture was reported by S. Camp. -Fish (41.5 in.) tagged (J. Jenrette) at Latimer Shoal 7/9/03; recaptured at Inner Middle Ground Shoal 7/15/04 (272 DAL); estimated at 42.5 in. TL, it was reported by J. Callaham, and released with its tag, 21

29 Cobia Migration Record A long-distance migration record for cobia occurred as the result of an experienced Mississippi cobia fisherman, J. Rutherford, reporting a tagged fish (Fig. 5B). Caught 5/20/04 at an oil-gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico (roughly 36 miles SE of the Mississippi River Delta), the fish had been tagged in August 2000 (M. Hammond) at York Spit (off the mouth of the York River). The fish had traveled a minimum straight-line distance of 1,600+ miles in only 1,367 DAL. It therefore had moved the equivalent minimum net distance of over one mile per day since tagged at 38 inches TL in Chesapeake Bay. Comparing the data with that accumulated on tagged cobia in the Gulf of Mexico (including a few tagged fish moving around the tip of Florida and some distance up the east coast), Dr. Jim Franks (Gulf Coast Research Lab, Ocean Springs, MI) is in agreement that this is the longest, documented migration of a cobia throughout is Atlantic-Gulf coast range. Dr. Franks estimated the fish when recaptured was likely a 6-year old female. Dr. Franks notes there is anecdotal information about a Chesapeake Bay tagged cobia being caught off the Mississippi coast during 1988, but no specific data record exists on the initial tagging date. Flounder: As a result of an increase in young flounder (as well as taggers ranks expanding from resumption of tagging training workshops in winter 2004), numbers of tagged flounder doubled in Over 7,200 fish were tagged, compared to 3,500-3,600 in each of the previous two years. Until 2004, the highest annual total for the species was just over 6,800 fish tagged in 2001 (flounder was first targeted in 2000). As in 2003, a broad spectrum of flounder fishing areas received good tagging effort. While the waters associated with Chincoteague Inlet were the top tagging area during 2003 (over 1000 fish tagged), Rudee Inlet led all areas during 2004 (nearly 1,500 flounder tagged). During 2003 seven fishing areas experienced tagging effort resulting in 150 or more flounder being tagged; during 2004 there were 12 such areas (Fig. 6). Top flounder tagging areas during 2004 were as follows (number of fish tagged in parentheses): Rudee Inlet (1,499), Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Islands & the High Rise (624), Chincoteague Inlet-Assateague Channel-Wallops Island waters (594), Kiptopeke State Park Fishing Pier/Concrete Ships (591), Yorktown Beach/Jetties (549), Willoughby Spit Jetties/Beach (444), Gloucester Point Fishing Pier/Beach (442), Norfolk Naval Base Pier (433), Buoy 36A-Texeco Wreck areas off Cape Charles (301), and Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (253). Areas having approximately flounder tagged in 2004 included: the Cell (194), Little Inlet/Fisherman s Island Bridge area (152), and Ship Shoal Inlet area (155). Areas with 50 to 150 tagged flounder included: Lynnhaven Inlet waters (136) and the Baltimore Channel Buoy Line (128). Areas having tagged flounder were: the Thimble Shoals/Off Ocean View Beach area, the Cut 22

30 Channel/Buoy 42 area, Wachapreague Inlet area, Sandbridge Beach/Little Island Fishing Pier, and Oregon Inlet, NC/Bonner Bridge area. Seasonal Site Fidelity at Structure and Inlet Sites - Consistent Patterns Within-season site fidelity patterns were again observed at numerous bay structure sites and several ocean inlets during 2004, especially at Rudee Inlet. Significant numbers of single recapture events supported flounder site fidelity patterns at a broad mix of fishing areas during both years (Fig. 7). Significant numbers of single recaptures of flounder, recaptures occurring in the same season/year in which the fish were tagged, represented times at large from a few days to days (2.5-5 months). As noted in Figure 7, primary flounder tag-recapture locations were (with 2004 and 2003 single recaptures indicated, respectively): Rudee Inlet (171 and 5 returns), Gloucester Point Pier-Yorktown Beach Jetties (76 and 31 returns), Norfolk s Naval Base Pier (55 returns-2004 only), Kiptopeke State Park Fishing Pier-Concrete Ships (31 and 8 returns), the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (23 and 13 returns), Willoughby Spit Jetties (20 and 11 returns), the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (15 and 12 returns), and Lynnhaven Inlet waters (13 and 1 returns). Similar or higher levels of within-year flounder recaptures were also documented at many of the same sites during 2001 and 2002 (Fig. 7). The destruction of fishing piers by Hurricane Isabel in September 2003 is still impacting the tagging program s data collection. As a result of costly efforts to rebuild destroyed fishing piers, only the Gloucester Point Public Pier was ready for fishing during most of the 2004 season. In late 2004 rebuilding efforts got underway for Harrison s Fishing Pier in Norfolk s Ocean View area. However, as of 2005 rebuilding plans are being formulated for Hampton s Buckroe Beach Fishing Pier, a site that provided significant tagging effort and flounder recapture data during Multiple Recaptures - Growing Evidence of Flounder Site Fidelity at Select Locations Increased tagging effort during 2004 provided an opportunity to further examine site-fidelity patterns of undersized fish at structure sites other than Buckroe Pier, the location previously having the most significant multi-year data set (Figs. 8A and 8B). Site fidelity patterns have been observed over three consecutive years at Buckroe Fishing Pier. For purposes of comparison with 2004 results from the NOB Pier in Norfolk and Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach, Buckroe Pier s flounder recapture results are first highlighted. Buckroe Fishing Pier: Flounder Site Fidelity Patterns At the Buckroe Pier, cooperation among anglers and taggers produced both good numbers of single recaptures during , but also a number of multiple recaptures of fish. Multiple recaptures occur as a result of anglers re-releasing undersize tagged fish with the tag still in the fish (in such instances, anglers simply write down the tag number and call in the recapture report without removing the tag). During each year within-season, single recaptures of tagged flounder occurred at the pier for periods ranging up to days (6-18 weeks) post release. These recaptures strongly suggested that 23

31 during each year from , flounder tagged at the pier remained in proximity to the site for much of the late spring-summer-early fall fishing season (Fig. 8A, upper left graph). The site fidelity pattern at Buckroe Pier was bolstered in 2003 by significant data resulting from concentrated tagging of a mix of 1-2 year old fish (9-15 in. TL). The major tagging effort was orchestrated by Gil Rigo, as well as resulting from great cooperation among pier anglers to promote multiple recaptures. The data indicated the pattern of flounder within-season site fidelity was again consistent at the pier in 2003, as in the two previous years. The 2003 single recapture data set included just under 200 records of individual fish. More indicative of flounder site fidelity occurring at the pier were multiple recaptures of flounder initially tagged at the site. Some tagged fish were recaptured twice, occasionally three times. In such instances, individual flounder were in proximity to the pier (either continuously or often) over periods of days (3-17 weeks) during the fishing seasons, respectively (Figure 8A; upper right and two lower graphs). Including a larger data set in 2003, multiple recapture data from early through late summer 2003 added significant support to the case for flounder site fidelity at the pier (Fig. 8B). Maxium periods of days at large for such recaptures were only 4-20 days during late summer, data collection obviously being terminated when the pier was destroyed by Hurricane Isabel (September 18 th ). However, days at large for multiple recaptured fish were typically days (about 3-6 weeks) during both early and mid summer. However, three tagged fish were also caught twice at the pier during periods of days (6-11 weeks) during early and mid-summer. Virginia flounder Site Fidelity Patterns Supported by New Jersey Research Evidence for the site fidelity pattern at the Buckroe Pier was presented in December 2004 to researchers at the Ninth Flat Fish Biology Conference (at Westbrook, CT; over 100 scientists and graduate students attended from Maine to Texas). The site fidelity results were similar to results obtained from a study conducted on summer flounder in a small New Jersey coastal river (Dr. Ken Able, Ms. D. Rowles, and Mr. T. Grothues, Rutgers University Marine Field Station: An Evaluation of Summer Flounder Estuarine Habitat Use Using Acoustic Telemetry ). In the New Jersey study, researchers attached electronic tags to in. flounder (N= ; N= ). Using an anchored array of submerged hydrophones, and carrying out active tracking of tagged fish by boat (using a boat-mounted hydrophone and receiver), flounder positions were monitored from June-November 2003 and from April-November Over periods of weeks the monitored flounder often exhibited little significant movement in the lower river before ultimately moving out of the river and offshore in fall. Discussing our mutual results during the meeting, we found there were striking similarities in the flounder patterns observed in New Jersey and Virginia waters during spring and summer months NOB Pier-Norfolk 2004: Site Fidelity Indicated by Single and Multiple Recaptures Tagging of flounder at the NOB Pier in Norfolk (Lamberts Point) occurred for the first time in Over four hundred fish were tagged (Richard Pickens). Single recaptures of 55 flounder came from 24

32 the pier over periods of days, the majority of the fish at large for days, i.e., re-caught at the pier 3-15 weeks after being tagged (Figs. 7 and 9A). The pattern was similar to that observed at the Buckroe Pier from At Buckroe Pier, there were a total of 228 single recapture records over three years (single recaptures and first recaptures of fish caught multiple times). The majority of fish were recaptured still in proximity to the pier days (about 3-14 weeks) after being tagged. At the NOB Pier there were 14 multiple recaptures, including 10 double recaptures and 3 triple recaptures (3 individual fish recaptured three times each; combined at large times of days/4-12 weeks). Another flounder was re-caught 4 times over a 35 day period (Fig. 9B). Nine of the double recaptures were of individual fish in proximity to the pier for days (about 3-11 weeks). As with the pattern of single recaptures, the NOB Pier s pattern of multiple recaptures in 2004 was similar to that observed at the Buckroe Pier from Respective times at large for multiple recaptured flounder tagged during early summer at Buckroe Pier in were: days (8-17 weeks), days (5-15 weeks), and days (3-11 weeks) (Fig. 8A, upper right and two lower graphs). As previously mentioned, during mid to late summer 2003 (Fig.8B), the Buckroe Pier also produced multiple recapture records for 14 flounder, indicating the fish remained in proximity to the pier for 7-42 days (1-6 weeks), with three fish caught two times over periods of 6-11 weeks. As an aside, not only do the multiple recapture data strongly support flounder staying in the vicinity of piers for extended periods during the fishing season, the data also support results of flounder hookrelease mortality studies completed by VIMS. Survival rates of angler-released flounder, where the fish were tagged and held for observation for 1-3 weeks, have been found to be relatively high, typically around 85-90%. If survival rates were poor for discarded undersize flounder, one would not expect multiple recaptures to occur to any degree year after year at piers. Rudee Inlet 2004: Within-Season Site Fidelity to Inlet Area Waters With nearly 1,500 flounder tagged in Rudee during the 2004 season (just over 1,000 tagged by Lee Hughes alone), there were 171 single recaptures of fish still in the general inlet area (including the inlet s protected waters-lakes Rudee and Wesley) for periods ranging from a few days up to 120 days (17 weeks) (Figs. 7 and 10A.). There were 17 double recaptured fish reported, with two tagged fish re-caught three times, one re-caught four times, and one fish recaptured five times (Fig. 10B). Of the double recaptures, eleven indicated the fish stayed around the inlet waters 20 to just over 100 days (about 3-14 weeks). The two triple recaptures of individual fish occurred during day periods (about 6-10 weeks). One flounder recaptured four times inside inlet waters appeared to remain in inlet waters just over 80 days (about 11 weeks). Over a period of nearly 90 days (about 12 weeks) one tagged fish was caught and released five times in Rudee (Fig. 10B). The single and double recapture data from Rudee Inlet waters in 2004, as with that for the NOB Pier, again indicate flounder are consistently showing behavior patterns of site fidelity. The patterns are occurring both at structure sites (large piers), as well as in relatively small areas of protected waters in and behind inlets, the latter often also having rock jetties protecting inlet openings. Such areas provide forage organisms, structure, and in the case of waters behind inlets, complex creeks and shoal areas, all good flounder feeding areas. 25

33 Limited Within-Season Movement of Flounder in Lower Bay Much of the tagging program s flounder recapture data support patterns consistent with the species remaining at or near various structure sites in the lower bay for significant periods of time (weeks to months). However, there are recaptures of fish each year indicating some fish also undergo movement in the lower bay within the season in which they were tagged (Fig. 11). With only limited recaptures of flounder showing significant movement each year ( ), no definitive pattern is obvious. Some documentation of down-bay movement is expected as many fish move offshore during fall to spawn and over-winter on the shelf. There have been a few examples of such movement, i.e., fish tagged at the Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnels being recaptured closer to the bay mouth within the year tagged. However, most movement records of flounder within the bay during a given tagging year show the fish moving across the bay (from one shore to the other) as well as up the bay. Note in Figure 11 the arrows show movement of individual fish within the year tagged. The arrows typically have associated with them notations showing the limited number of tag-recapture records involved, i.e., 1 FL, 2 FL, etc.). More details on movements by year follow Limited examples of movement were observed between the Grandview-Buckroe Piers and from the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (HRBT) area to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) area. There was also movement of a flounder from the CBBT to the Lynnhaven Inlet area. A few flounder also moved from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to the Cape Henry area, the Kiptopeke State Park Pier-Concrete Ships, and up the bay to the mouth of the Potomac River Records of movement during 2002 were again largely limited to a few flounder moving between the Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnels (Fig. 11). However a fish tagged in June 2002 at Buckroe Pier was recaptured October 24 (137 DAL) in the lower York River. A fish tagged in early August at Fisherman s Island bridge moved across the bay to the Buckroe Pier (recaptured at the pier October 20 after 80 DAL) Limited movement of fish occurred among the HRBT, the nearby Harrison Fishing Pier in Norfolk, and the CBBT (Fig. 11). A fish moved from the Willoughby Spit Jetties (near the Norfolk end of the HBBT) out into the bay to the CBBT (tagged June 8, recaptured July 5; 27 DAL). Conversely, a flounder tagged June 3 at the CBBT moved into the Elizabeth River, being recaptured in the area of the Hot Ditch (September 13; 102 DAL). A flounder tagged at the Yorktown Beach June 19 moved a net distance of at least one mile, being recaptured at Gloucester Point Fishing Pier June 22 (3 DAL). The fish then moved back to the Yorktown beach and was recaptured again (E. Shepherd) July 11 (22DAL). Finally, during 2003 a large flounder (20 inches) tagged July 12 at York Spit (off the mouth of the York River) moved down the bay, possibly headed offshore to spawn during early winter. The fish was recaptured October 27 off the Little Creek jetties (after 107 DAL) Significant movement of individual flounder in 2004 occurred both from the southern seaside barrier islands into the bay, as well as back and forth across the bay (Fig. 11). For the first time since tagging flounder began in 2000, two fish (15 in.), both tagged in May 2004 (one at Ship Shoal Inlet and the other nearby at Little Inlet), were documented to move into the bay. The fish were each recaptured in August, one off Latimer s Bluff near the Kiptopeke Sate Park area (after 28 DAL), the 26

34 other at The Cell (78 DAL) (see Appendix Tables-Flounder). Two flounder (13-15 in.) tagged in June 2004 at the Kiptopeke State Park Pier moved up the bay, both being recaptured in July, one at the Cell (54 DAL), the other in the Cut Channel-Buoy 42 area (21 DAL). There were also two significant records of movement during 2004 from flounder tagged on the western side of the bay (Fig. 11). Tagged April 2004 in Milford Haven (near Gwynn Island s Holein-the Wall fishing area), a large flounder (28 in.- possibly 7-8 years old) was recaptured in August near Buoy 36A off the town of Cape Charles (128 DAL). The fish may have begun moving down the bay to eventually move offshore to spawn in winter. However, such fish may also sometimes overwinter in the lower bay, larger flounder occasionally being taken by crab dredge and clam boats during winter months. The decades long monthly trawl survey conducted annually in the bay by VIMS also captures some flounder during winter. Movement up the bay was observed also. A flounder (14 in.) tagged in late May 2004 at the Yorktown Beach Rock Jetties was recaptured in late July in the lower Rappahannock River (Fig. 11) about one mile below the Route 3 Bridge (53 DAL). Individual records of fish showing 2004 within season movement can be located in the Appendix Tables by Tagging Location. Long-Term Recaptures: Year to Year Records Showing Site Fidelity and Coastal Movement As in past years, 1-3% of annual recaptures during the current year are from flounder tagged the previous year or, in a few rare instances, flounder which were tagged in Virginia bay-ocean inlet waters 2-4 years earlier (Fig. 12). The majority of such recaptures are from bay-tagged fish given that is where the majority of tagging effort occurs. During 2004, of 643 total flounder recaptures reported, 24 (3.7 %) were from fish tagged primarily during 2003 (exceptions were one fish tagged during 2000 and two during 2002). Twelve (12) of the 24 long-term (year to year) recaptures were fish tagged in the bay and recaptured back in the bay (Fig. 12). As previously indicated, such data cannot differentiate between flounder which left the bay, over-wintering offshore and returning again to the bay the following spring, or fish which may have over-wintered inside the bay. Both situations occur. Three recaptures occurring in Virginia ocean inlet waters were from fish tagged either in the area of Chincoteague Inlet or Rudee Inlet (Fig. 12). A flounder tagged in 2003 inside Chincoteague Inlet (Cockle Creek) was recaptured in 2004 just to the south at Gargathy Inlet (north end of Metompkin Island). Two fish, one tagged inside Rudee, and the other off Rudee Inlet in August 2003, were recaptured inside the inlet during May and August 2004 (278 and 375 DAL, respectively). Coastal Movement : New York to South of Cape Fear, NC Two long-time at large bay-tagged fish (tagged at the Cherrystone Reef area off Cape Charles King Creek in 2000 and the Back River Artificial Reef in 2002) were recaptured in 2004, both in southern North Carolina surf waters (Cape Fear area). The fish tagged in October 2000 was recaptured at Carolina Beach, NC in March 2004 (1,245 DAL/ 3.4 yrs.; growing from 13 to 19.8 in. TL). The fish tagged during 2002 was recaptured at Long Beach, NC fishing pier in August 2004 (683 DAL/1.9 yrs), having grown from 11 to an estimated 13 inches. One flounder tagged the prior year at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel was recaptured in September 2004 in Sandy Hook Bay, NJ (440 DAL; growing from 15.5 to 17.5 in.). 27

35 Coastal dispersion records from long-term recaptures are illustrated in Figure 13 (by year fish were tagged). The remaining 9 of the 24 long-term flounder recaptures occurring during 2004 were fish recaptured in waters from New York-New Jersey (4 fish), Maryland (3 fish, all in the vicinity of Ocean City Inlet and waters inside the inlet), and in North Carolina inlets and sounds (2 fish previously referenced, one at Carolina Beach just north of Cape Fear and one at Long Beach, south of Cape Fear almost to the SC line). Tag and recapture details for all 24 fish can be found in the Appendix Tables (Flounder) Long-Term Recaptures: Site Fidelity and Coastal Movement Issues Site Fidelity Half (6) of the long-term recaptures inside bay waters during 2004 were flounder tagged during 2003 at either the Chesapeake or Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnels, or nearby areas, with most recaptured at, or within less than miles of their tagging sites. Several recaptures consisted of flounder tagged the previous year at the Buckroe Pier (one was recaptured at the Cut Channel-Buoy 42 and the other at the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel). A flounder tagged in September 2003 (14 in.) at the Kiptopeke State Park Pier was recaptured during July 2004 in Mobjack Bay (on the western shore of the bay just north of the York River). The pattern of long-term recaptures observed during 2004 (mostly year to year events but a few over longer periods) is not all that different from patterns also observed in previous years at bay and ocean inlet sites (Fig. 12). At ocean inlets and barrier island beaches from Chincoteague Inlet south to Metompkin, Wachapreaque, Quinby, and Ship Shoal-Little Inlets, a few flounder tagged one year are recaptured again in the same general area the following year. In the cases of ocean inlets, it may be likely the fish move offshore to the continental shelf during winter to warmer water and to spawn, or some could even remain in deeper channel areas to overwinter near the inlets. The tag-recapture data cannot distinguish between either scenario. Some flounder tagged during one year inside the bay, i.e., at the Chesapeake Bay and Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel complexes, produce year-to year recaptures again at these large areas the following year, occasionally even over longer periods. Similar but lest consistent results have been demonstrated for the Kiptopeke State Park Fishing Pier (and associated breakwater known as the concrete ships ), the 36 A Buoy off the town of Cape Charles, the Buckroe-Grandview Fishing Piers (both lost to Hurricane Isable in September 2003), and the Willoughby Spit Jetties (near the east/norfolk end of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel) (Fig. 12). As with ocean inlet long-term recaptures, it is unclear whether some of the in-bay recaptures may simply be cases of over-wintering of flounder inside the bay. Bay and Eastern Shore Inlet Tagged Flounder: Do Long-Term Recapture Patterns Differ? For the four year period ( ) for which long-term flounder recapture data are available, it is of interest to examine the distribution of recaptures occurring back in Virginia waters versus those occurring in waters to the north or south. Beginning with fish tagged in 2000 (Table 5), a total of

36 long-term recaptures have been reported. Just under one third of the these recaptures (36) are from flounder tagged at Eastern Shore Inlets-Barrier Island sites, the remaining 116 being from bay tagging sites. For the Eastern Shore ocean sites, a first look at the distribution of total Virginia versus non-virginia recaptures (53% vs. 47%) indicates that the split is almost even. However, the bay sites show a 3:1 ratio in favor of long-term recaptures represented by fish which were recaptured in Virginia waters (75 % vs 25% of the recaptures). However, especially the Eastern Shore inlet results are not as easy to interpret as they may appear (see Table 5, last footnote). Seven (7) of the non-virginia recaptures are fish tagged in the Chincoteague Inlet area one year, and recaptured the following year only about miles north of their tagging site in Ocean City Inlet, Maryland area waters (Table 6). The referenced Table 5 footnote indicates the problem. Chincoteague Bay is directly linked by interior waters (non-ocean beach or shelf waters) to Ocean City, MD waters. Therefore, long-term flounder recaptures in waters behind Ocean City Inlet are not the same as such captures whereby the fish are taken out of state in waters from New Jersey north, or to the south along the Carolinas. In fact, logically the Ocean City recaptures are no different than cases where Chincoteague tagged fish are recaptured the following year but only miles to the south along Virginia s Barrier Islands. Whether fish in either case over-winter inshore (in the bay or within Chincoteague Bay area waters), or in offshore waters, makes no difference to the final outcome. They were still recaptured the following year less than approximately 30+ miles from their initial tagging site. Chincoteague tagged flounder recaptured the following year in Ocean City Inlet waters could move there by three means: (1) move about miles through interior waters, (2) move along the ocean coast or just offshore, or (3) having moved offshore during winter, move back inshore to the Maryland inlet area the following spring. The current recapture results cannot logically distinguish between these possible movement scenarios. Therefore, the apparent even split in long-term recaptures from Virginia s Chincoteague Inlet- Wallops Island waters between in-state and non-state waters is strongly influenced by the Ocean City, MD recaptures. For example, were the seven (7) Ocean City, MD flounder recaptures reclassified to the VA-Off Tag Site category, then the distribution of VA vs non-va recaptures for tagged fish recaptured from Eastern Shore ocean sites would be similar to that for bay tagged fish (72% vs 28% compared to 75% vs 25%). Therefore, compared to bay-tagged flounder, it cannot be concluded from the current data set that flounder tagged at Virginia Eastern Shore ocean sites are generally more inclined to disperse during winter to non-state waters However, there are two major differences in the patterns of bay-tagged flounder versus ocean inlet tagged flounder which do seem apparent. One difference is that a greater portion of bay-tagged fish, at large from year to year, are recaptured in North Carolina waters than the case for the latter group (Table 6; 50% vs 6%). Secondly, approximately half (53%) of fish tagged in ocean inlet areas (and at large year to year), are recaptured out of state, caught largely in waters from New Jersey north. For bay-tagged fish out similar periods, only 40% have been recaptured in such waters to date. In summary, with the data available, the greatest apparent distinctions between dispersal patterns of bay versus ocean inlet tagged flounder (at large from year to year), are: 29

37 (1) Flounder tagged in Virginia Eastern Shore seaside waters (Chincoteague Inlet area south to Ship Shoal Channel) do not demonstrate significant movement to North Carolina waters (only one fish [6%] of total non-va recaptures from seaside tagged fish; Table 6). However, compared to baytagged fish, Virginia seaside flounder may move in similar, or slightly greater proportions, to northern waters (CT to New Jersey; 53% vs 40% for bay-tagged fish). However, the very small sample size (N=17 fish) would require considerable expansion before one could determine if there are in fact significant differences in the patterns. (2) Bay-tagged flounder, however, may disperse in roughly similar proportions (40% vs 57%) to northern waters (New Jersey to New York/Connecticut) as well as southern waters (North Carolina to the South Carolina line). However, data set sample size is also small (N=28 fish). To date it appears that bay-tagged flounder do not frequent Maryland s Ocean City Inlet waters. In contrast, some Chincoteague Inlet area flounder regularly move to these Maryland waters, but by which of various movement pathways is unknown. Game Fish Program Data Support and Strengthen Earlier VIMS Studies Coastal dispersion data for Virginia tagged flounder from the tagging program (Fig. 12) support earlier results of VIMS research. Both in the late 1980 s ( ) and in the mid 1990 s ( ), VIMS conducted tagging studies on flounder occurring in bay and adjacent offshore state waters (Richard Kraus and John Musick A brief interpretation of summer flounder, Paralichthys dentatus, movements and stock structure with new tagging data on juveniles. Marine Fisheries Review 63(3):1-6). The earlier study targeted both juvenile and adult flounder, while the later study concentrated largely on smaller fish about a year or so old. The research studies, tagging and releasing trawler-caught fish, showed some over-wintering of flounder on the continental shelf, the fish being recaptured in waters off New York-New Jersey to mid-north Carolina (one flounder tagged in the VIMS study was recaptured as far south as Cape Lookout). The first three-year VIMS study tagged approximately 12,300 flounder and had a 5.5% recapture reporting rate. Most recaptures came from commercial fishing boats, especially trawlers fishing inshore, and also offshore (Cigar to Baltimore Canyon areas, and sometimes Washington Canyon along the shelf edge to off New Jersey). All Game Fish Tagging Program flounder were caught and released by anglers on boats or piers/beach jetties in the bay, or along Eastern Shore barrier island inlets and waters behind such inlets. During its first year (2000), the recapture rates for the Game Fish Program were similar to the VIMS study, i.e., 6%. By its third year targeting flounder (2002), the Game Fish program had also tagged 13,000 flounder, similar to the overall tagging effort by VIMS research study. Since 2001 the Game Fish program has experienced a recapture rate of around 9%, thereby providing many more tag-recapture data records to aid in examining movement patterns of flounder in and from Virginia waters. While a higher rate than the VIMS study, the tagging program s recapture rate has been enhanced by significant tagging and recapture reporting from fishing piers. In addition, multiple recaptures at pier and jetty sites have helped boost tagging program recaptures. 30

38 The second VIMS flounder study, tagging over 10,600 fish, focused on smaller juvenile fish. It had a very low recapture reporting rate of 0.2%. It is not clear why the rate was so low, except that working with trawler caught fish, the combined stress of capturing the fish in trawl nets, then tagging and releasing them, may have produced higher than expected mortalities of the released flounder. Naturally the researchers involved, while gaining useful data, were disappointed in the low return rate. As of the end of 2004, the Game Fish Tagging Program, with special dedicated flounder tagging effort by certain trained anglers, had tagged just over 24,000 flounder, a tagging effort equivalent to the total of the earlier VIMS studies. The angler-assisted tagging program supports and updates results of the VIMS studies. The program has documented that some portion of flounder tagged inside the Virginia bay either return to the bay, or over-winter in the bay in subsequent years. Over five sequential years, the program has also expanded upon the VIMS results, documenting that some baytagged flounder move to North Carolina beach and sound waters well south of Cape Hatteras. The program has two records of flounder tagged in Virginia waters which were later recaptured from as far south as the Myrtle Beach, SC surf, and waters offshore South Carolina. A small portion of the Game Fish Tagging Program flounder recaptures are reported by commercial fishing boats (often by government observers), inshore commercial boats, and even commercial fish buyers. While over 95% of flounder recaptures are from anglers, the reports from commercial fishing sources are important and very much appreciated. Gray Triggerfish 2003 The program began tagging gray triggerfish in Just under 30 fish were tagged in 2003, primarily at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT), the Back River Reef, and a few wrecks (Anglo- American Wreck, the 4A buoy Dry Dock, etc.). Only 12 recaptures occurred during the year, all at the CBBT from fish tagged at the site during the year. However, because the fish stay so close to structure throughout the summer while in Chesapeake Bay, the program has experienced an unusually high cumulative recapture rate of 27-37% during (Table 4). Only one record of movement was noted in 2003, a 15 inch fish moving from the CBBT 1 st Island to the 2 nd Island (30 DAL). Most recaptures occurred during August to early September within 1-4 weeks of tagging (fish 5-26 DAL). Two double recaptures occurred. Several examples of recaptures are listed (see the Appendix Tables for others). -Two fish tagged (R. Collins) 8/26/03 at the CBBT 2 nd Island; one recaptured again at the 2 nd Island on 9/11 (16 DAL) and one at the 1 st Island on 9/25 (30 DAL). -Fish (15 in.) tagged (R. Guyot) at the CBBT Big D Wreck on 8/3/03; recaptured again at the wreck 8/29 (26 DAL) by the tagger and released with its tag, then recaptured again (J. Miller) at the same site 10/5 (63 DAL), and again released with its tag in place. 31

39 -Another fish tagged (R. Guyot) on the same date (8/3) at the CBBT Big D Wreck; recaptured again on the site by the tagger twice in the same day, on 8/29 (26 DAL). It appears from such recapture data that gray triggerfish are hardy and readily survive handling, tagging, and release stress With the program bringing more attention to the species and catches being fairly consistent, nearly 200 gray triggerfish were tagged in The majority of fish (10-12 in.) were tagged at the 4A Buoy Dry Dock southeast of Rudee Inlet, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT), the Marble Wreck (off False Cape), and on structure off Sandbridge or False Cape. A few larger fish (12-14 in.) were tagged on offshore wrecks (e.g., the Brass Spike) in October, but no recaptures have resulted to date. There were four double recaptures of individual fish, two at the CBBT 3 rd Island, one at the 4A Buoy Dry Dock, and one off the Sandbridge oceanfront. Double-recapture fish were at large from 0-91 DAL. Most single recaptures were fish either at large for a week or less, or about one month. Several fish were at large for days (about 3 months) and only one recapture indicated any significant movement of a fish from its initial tagging site. The latest in the year tagged gray triggerfish were recaptured was 11/7/04. Many recaptured fish were released, with equal proportions released both with, and without, their tags. A few examples follow (see Appendix Tables): Movement (one fish) -Fish (12 in.) tagged (M. Perron) at the 4A Buoy Dry Dock 7/3/04; moved and recaptured (B. Smith) off Oregon Inlet 7/31 (28 DAL). Site Fidelity-Multiple Recaptures -Fish tagged (R. Collins) at the 4A Buoy Dry Dock 7/3/04; recaptured (M. Perron) at the site the same day (0 DAL) and released again with its tag; recaptured (K. Bartee) again at the site 7/12 (9 DAL) and kept. -Fish (13.5 in.) tagged (R. Collins) off Sandbridge 7/3/04; recaptured and released with its tag (M. Perron) in the same area 7/31 (28 DAL), then recaptured again by the tagger 8/08 (36 DAL), released once again with its tag. -Two fish (12 in.) tagged (R. Collins) at the CBBT 3 rd Island, one on 9/11/04 and one on 9/16; the first fish recaptured on the site by the tagger 10/9 (28 DAL), then again on 11/7 (57 DAL) and released again (J. Taylor) with its tag; the second fish was also recaptured by the tagger on 10/9, 32

40 released with its tag, then recaptured again (J. Strain) on the site 11/8 (53 DAL) and again released with its tag. Site Fidelity-Single Recaptures -Fish (15.3 in.) tagged (R. Holtz) at the CBBT 2 nd Island 7/24/04; recaptured again (J. Bailey) at the site 9/12 (50 DAL), released without its tag. -Three triggerfish tagged (R. Collins, M. Perron) off False Cape 7/31/04; recaptured in the same general area 8/8 (8 DAL), 8/9 (9 DAL), and 11/7 (99 DAL). Twelve fish (9-15 in.) tagged (M. Perron, R. Collins) on the Marble Ship Wreck 7/3-4/04, recaptured again in the same general area from the same day tagged up to 3 DAL, but also many recaptured 7/31 (28 DAL) by the taggers and other anglers, with some recaptured later, i.e., one 10/4 (93 DAL) and two fish on 11/7 (127 DAL). The latter two recaptures were the longest time at large for tagged triggerfish during 2003 and Red Drum 2003 The strong run of puppy drum in the bay during 2002 resulted in large numbers of the fish drawn to the warm-water discharge canal areas of the Chesapeake Energy Center (Elizabeth River) and Yorktown Power Station (York River). While over 2,200 fish were tagged in 2003, only about 500 less than the record number (2,730) in 2002, the majority were tagged at the two power stations Hot Ditches. At the Elizabeth River Hot Ditch just over 1,400 small drum (most in. TL) were tagged in 2003, the majority from January to early March, with another 50 fish (16-22 inches long) from late November through December. This winter tagging was largely the result of efforts by J. Wright, W. Seymour, R. Collins, R. Holtz, B. Shepherd, and R. Hughes, among other taggers. The late fall tagging effort was largely carried out by R. Collins and R. Hughes. Just over 320 puppy drum were tagged during January-March 2003 at the York River Hot Ditch jetties. A special tagging effort occurred inside the canal as part of a one-day, cooperative tagging rodeo involving 40 volunteer anglers (from Richmond, Williamsburg, Hampton Roads, and Gloucester). Nearly 130 puppy drum were tagged during the Tagging Rodeo (3/7/03). Prior to the Tagging Rodeo, during December 2002, nearly 100 puppy drum were tagged at the canal jetties (S. Vinson), an effort which set the stage for cooperative tagging during early In late November 2003, seven (7) larger drum (21-26 in. TL) were tagged in the upper end of the canal above a concrete dam (weir). To date, no recaptures of these larger fish have been reported. The highest number of adult reds tagged in the history of the program occurred during This was not only significant regarding the numbers of fish tagged, but also in the fact that the program had changed from tagging large drum with Hallprint s T-Bar tag to the company s stainless steel dart tag 33

41 (Fig. 1A). This larger tag (6 inches long and having a stainless steel wire through its flexible, bright orange streamer) has proven to have a very high retention rate in large drum tagged in North Carolina s tagging program. During late May through July 2003, 76 large drum (35-50 in. TL) were tagged in the lower Bay (mostly on Inner Middle Ground Shoal). The principal taggers responsible for this extraordinary effort included R. Holtz, C. Stokes, K. Neill, A. Bunnell, C. Routh, S. Gold, and R. Guyot, among others. Three adult fish (36-38 in.) were tagged on Latimer Shoal (W. Edmundson, III). Puppy drum (13-17 in.) were tagged around Lamberts Point in July (C. Stoker, R. Guyot) and a few small fish also were tagged in Lynnhaven Inlet. Another special tagging on large adult reds was initiated on the Eastern Shore Barrier Islands (primarily by D. Cline and J. Johnson, among others). This effort, again using the larger stainless steel core dart tag, resulted in 120 fish tagged. The fish ranged in size from 24 inches up, the majority being inches. Recaptures 2003 The specially focused tagging effort, taking advantage of one of the best runs of yearling drum (puppy drum) in the history of Virginia s fishery, produced the highest number of recaptures the program has experienced. Only a few adult fish recaptures occurred during However, as often the case with the program, the results were valuable. One recapture provided the first documentation of a large drum (44 in.) moving from the Eastern Shore southern barrier island inlets into the bay. This pattern is thought to exist given catches of large fish most often occur from areas extending from the shoal and sloughs off Ship Shoal Inlet to Nautilus Shoals, and around into the bay on Latimer and Inner Middle Ground Shoals. The tagging program now has hard evidence for the movement of large reds through this favorite fishing area. The specifics of the tag-recapture record follow: -Drum (44 in. TL) tagged (D. Cline) 5/26/03 in the Ship Shoal Island surf; recaptured (J. Collier) on Inner Middle Ground Shoal 6/17 (22 DAL) and released (without its tag). Yearling Drum (Puppy Drum) Over-wintering Around Power Plants Over 340 fish were recaptured, largely small fish, providing for the first-time a number of records of puppy drum, over-wintering at power plants, moving back into the lower bay in spring-summer months. These fish appear to stay in the warm-water influence of the plants from December through March, with some portion then moving back into the lower bay where they contribute for a second season to the recreational fishery (Fig. 14). A number of single and multiple recaptures support the retention of yearling drum around the Elizabeth River and York River power plants (see Appendix Tables- Red Drum, 2003 and 2004). 34

42 Large Drum Return to Virginia in Subsequent Years Another recapture of an adult red occurred for a fish initially tagged in June This provided critical documentation that at least some large red drum tagged in Virginia waters are capable of overwintering offshore and to the south, then returning to the Virginia fishery the following year. The fish was recaptured at its initial tagging location almost a year to the date in June This recapture compliments the few recaptures over the years ( ) of North Carolina tagged drum in Chesapeake Bay, and along the Eastern Shore as far north as Assateague (Fig 15). Only seven such recaptures have occurred in Virginia waters (fish inches TL) from nearly 15 years of tagging in the area of Ocracoke Inlet to the beaches north of Cape Hatteras by North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (Fig. 15). The Virginia data follow: -Fish (42 in.) tagged (R. Guyot) 6/16/02 on the Inner Middle Ground Shoal; recaptured (C. Brown) again on the shoal the next year (6/12/03; 361 DAL). The fish was released again with its tag Numbers of tagged red drum in 2004 followed the typical decline that often occurs in the fishery after a strong year class makes for good fishing during a particular year (the case in 2002). Tagged drum numbers in 2004 were only about 25% of the 2003 effort, dropping to around 500 fish. A small but important number of puppy drum (about 60 fish, mostly inches) were tagged at the Elizabeth River Hot Ditch from December 2003 through March An additional almost 30 smaller drum (15-27 inches) were also tagged during late summer and early fall in numerous lower bay areas (Lynnhaven Inlet, Willoughby Spit beach, Piankatank River, etc.). As waters cooled in November, just over 100 puppy drum were tagged, the effort distributed almost evenly between the Elizabeth River and Yorktown Hot Ditches. Recaptures With numbers of tagged fish down during 2004, recaptures were also significantly down. However, as in 2003, while only 22 recaptures occurred (cumulative recapture rate dropped slightly to 11%), the data were highly valuable. Recaptures of puppy drum, having over-wintered at the Elizabeth River and Yorktown power plants, more clearly indicated a portion of such fish move from the plant areas in spring back into the lower bay (Fig.14). The majority of data were from the Elizabeth River Hot Ditch area, showing 2-3 year old drum moved from the ditch in the southern branch of the river out into Hampton Roads, into the lower James River, off Hampton, to Poquoson Flats, into the lower York River-Mobjack Bay area, to Eastern Shore southern barrier islands, and ultimately in late summer-fall to Outer Bank beaches and into Pamlico Sound (Fig. 14). Two recaptures of small drum tagged during winter at the Yorktown Hot Ditch occurred outside the ditch. Both fish were recaptured in summer on Poquoson Flats (Fig. 14). More interesting, 35

43 a drum tagged at the Yorktown Hot Ditch during the 2003 Tagging Rodeo (3/7/03) was recaptured 4/25/04 in the Cape Hatteras surf (415 DAL). The 2002 movement pattern of puppy drum leaving the bay for North Carolina waters during late summer early fall (Fig. 16) was not observed during 2003 or In 2003 there were only a few puppy drum recaptures showing fish moving down the bay, i.e., from the area of the Rappahannock and Piankatank Rivers (Fig. 16). However, in 2004 there also were a few examples of puppy drum moving from the Yorktown Beach jetties up the York River, but also up the bay. One fish moved from Yorktown to the lower Rappahannock River. Several puppy drum tagged in Rudee Inlet and at Sandbridge in summer 2004 were recaptured the same summer in Hampton Roads (Ft. Monroe Pier and at the Hampton roads Bridge Tunnel). See the 2004 Appendix Tables for details on more small fish recaptures. Adult Red Drum Five large drum, tagged during along the Eastern Shore barrier islands (in the surf or sloughs just offshore the beaches), provided significant returns in These recapture records provided data supporting the patterns beginning to be documented in 2003 of big drum returning to Virginia waters 1-2 years after having been tagged either in the bay or along the barrier island beaches (Fig 15; Table 7). Tagged May 2002 (Wreck Island surf), and during 2003 (Ship Shoal Inlet area, Cobb Island surf, and on the Inner Middle Ground Shoal), the referenced fish were all recaptured again largely at their initial tagging sites June-October The fish (40-48 inches upon recapture) had been at large for 356, 357, 372, 381, and 764 days (2 years). However, one longer return occurred during A small fish (15 in.) tagged (W. Seymour) in Rudee Inlet during March 2000 was recaptured inside Lynnhaven Inlet 3/10/04. Reported by J. Compton, it had grown to 23 inches, having been at large for 1,456 days (4 years). See the 2004 Appendix Tables for details on large fish recaptures. Sheepshead 2003 and 2004 During 2003 there were only six (6) sheepshead tagged. As a result of the extremely low effort, there were no recaptures during the year. However, in 2004 over 260 fish were tagged (Fig. 3). During the year there were 22 recaptures, keeping the cumulative recapture rate at 9-10% (Fig. 4C). The majority of tagging was the result of an opportunity provided at the Yorktown Hot Ditch jetties. During late fall 2004, large numbers of juvenile sheepshead were attracted to the jetty structure. Shifting his fish practices to smaller hooks, S. Vinson was able to tag over 200 of the small fish. All recaptures of sheepshead during 2004 were the result of this special tagging effort. The juvenile sheepshead were documented to stay in the lower end of the canal largely associated with the jetties 36

44 from mid November through early December. There were three (3) multiple recaptures of fish. Times at large for all recaptures ranged from 1-17 days. See the Appendix Tables for details on these recaptures. Spadefish 2003 and 2004 Nearly equal numbers of spadefish were tagged during 2003 and 2004 (237 and 285, respectively). Recaptures were 27 and 43 during 2003 and 2004, respectively (Figs. 3 and 4B). Since 2002 the cumulative recapture rate for the species has remained constant at 10% (Fig. 4C). During both years the majority of tagging effort was focused on the Chesapeake Light Tower and the Tower Reef. During 2003 single recaptures (primarily inch fish) documented the fish staying around the tagging sites from only a few days up to 55 days. Most recaptures occurred within 1-3 weeks post tagging. Long-term Recaptures 2003 In 2003 there were a few long-term recaptures. Interestingly, a fish (15 in.) tagged at the Light Tower 6/13/01 was recaptured 4/3/03 in the lower York River in the area of the Yorktown Hot Ditch. Time at large was 640 days (1.7 yrs.). Two fish tagged at the Tower May-June 2002 were recaptured 7/11-15/03, one again at the Tower (395 DAL), but the other was inside the bay, recaptured July 15 at the Mussel Beds off Cape Charles (410 DAL). In 2004 recaptures were spread over a greater diversity of structure sites. While the majority were again at the Light Tower offshore, there were a significant number of recaptures during the season at Wolf Trap Light in the middle Bay on the western shore (tagger, G. Wilson). Regarding Wolf Trap, the majority of the fish where shown to remain around the lighthouse 3-17 days, with a few fish recaptured still at the structure after 26, 44, and 62 days. At the Chesapeake Light Tower during 2004, there were just over 20 recaptures, most tagged from mid-may through mid-july The majority of times at large in association with the Tower ranged from days; however, a few recaptures documented fish staying at the Tower days. There were a few recaptures of spadefish tagged at the Anglo-American Wreck just southeast of Fisherman s Island at the mouth of the bay. Three fish (9-10 in.) were tagged and recaptured on the wreck over periods of 5-22 days. Long-term Recaptures 2004 A few significant long-term recaptures occurred during They were as follows: -Fish tagged (W. Beard) at the Tiger Wreck 8/11/2000; recaptured at the Cell 5/22/04 (1,380 DAL/3.8 yrs.); the fish had grown from 9 to 21.8 inches. 37

45 -Fish tagged (S. Gold) at York Spit in the bay 6/28/02; recaptured at the Chesapeake Light Tower 5/25/04 (697 DAL/1.9 yrs.); the fish had grown from inches. -Fish tagged (S. Gold) at the Light Tower 6/28/03; recaptured 8/6/04 again at the Tower (405 DAL; was estimated to have grown from inches. See the Appendix Tables for detail information on spadefish recaptures. Speckled Trout 2003 Compared to the high 2002 tagging year (over 1,200 specks tagged), there was a major decline in speckled trout tagged during 2003 (352) fish, fairly typical of the fishery s fluctuations. Most recaptures of speckled trout were at the Elizabeth River Hot Ditch, the fish having been tagged from early December 2002 through late January Resident times in the ditch ranged from several weeks to days. Several fish were still in the ditch 67 and 113 days post tagging As during 2003, the majority of tagged speckles were Hot Ditch fish, mostly from the Yorktown Hot Ditch (but a few from the Elizabeth River Hot Ditch as well). About inches long, the fish were tagged at the Yorktown Ditch from early October through late November While some were recaptured again in the Yorktown Hot Ditch within only a few days to a week after being tagged, a number of fish were documented to stay in the ditch days post tagging. Long-term Elizabeth River Hot Ditch Recapture There was one longer time-at-large recapture, a 24 inch trout tagged at the Elizabeth River Hot Ditch on 3/24/04. While there is no way to know whether the fish left the Hot Ditch area during the summer, it was recaptured again at the ditch on 12/9/04 after 260 days at large. Speckled Trout Fall-Winter Migration to North Carolina The more interesting tag returns for speckled trout, however, were those for fish inches long which became available to anglers in mid summer through the fall. The significance of recaptures of seven of these nine these fish is the consistent, often rapid, movement they exhibited from the bay to North Carolina beaches. Several trout moved to and across Pamlico Sound (recaptured at Swan Quarter on the sound s western shore) and as far south as Atlantic Beach and Bear Inlet (Table 8; Fig. 17). Such recaptures document speckled trout can move a minimum of 2-10 miles per day. These recaptures are the best seasonal migration data set to date for speckled trout moving out of the bay. Of course, as shown in many past years, not all such fish leave the bay in fall. Good numbers over-winter around lower bay power plants. Occasionally small to medium trout are also observed during winter months still up in some lower bay rivers, and are occasionally observed during winter inside Rudee Inlet. 38

46 Table 8, Figure 17, and the Appendix Tables illustrate the pattern of movement from the bay to mid- North Carolina waters. Tautog While less than 500 tautog were tagged during 2003, fishing effort and tagging improved somewhat during Nearly 1,000 tautog were tagged during 2004, with just over 100 fish recaptured. The recapture rate remained at 16-17% (Table 4C). During 2003 most tagging effort focused on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT) and the Cape Henry Wreck area. There were seven recaptures of tautog at the CBBT in 2003 of fish tagged October-November 2002 ( DAL). Long-term Recaptures 2003 Several long-term recaptures also occurred in 2003, largely at the Anglo-American Wreck, the Birch Lake Wreck, and the Cape Henry Wreck. There were two recaptures of tautog at the Cape Henry wreck from fish tagged during 1999; one recaptured again at the Wreck 5/11/03 (1,278 DAL), and the other at the CBBT 4 th Island 4/22/03 (1,442 DAL). Three tautog tagged during 2001 around the lower Bay and at the 4A buoy Dry Dock were recaptured during 2003 ( DAL). Several recaptures also occurred of tautog tagged around lower bay sites during Five such recaptures from April- December 2003 were fish at large for days. Long and Short Term Recaptures 2004 With more tautog tagged in 2004, recaptures increased proportionately. But possibly more importantly, the improved weather and fishing for tautog produced a number of long-term recaptures. These indicated the fish likely remained at, or in the general vicinity of, their initial tagging sites from over periods at large of 1,058-1,651 days ( yrs.). Numbers of recaptures were also of fish tagged during They were recaptured again at their general tagging site after DAL. The tautog data continue to support the position presented by VMRC and VIMS to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Tautog Technical Committee. The position is that Virginia tautog do not mix significantly with other tautog north of the Delaware Bay mouth. In fact, since tagging began in 1995, only 3 tautog tagged in the bay or offshore Virginia have been recaptured outside the latitudinal boundaries of the state (2-Ocean City, MD Inlet and southern edge of the mouth of Delaware Bay; 1-Oregon Inlet jetties, NC). This documents that only 0.2% (of over 1,400 recaptures from ) show any significant north or south movement from state waters. The tagging data are helping VMRC and VIMS support a position that the Virginia tautog fishery merits being managed separately from stocks off New Jersey north. In the northern management area, tautog are still in an over-fished status, and the states are having to take approximately 25% cuts in their landing quotas to help rebuild the fishery. To date, such is not the case for the Virginia fishery. 39

47 Tables ahnd Figures

48 Table 1. Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program Annual Tagging Awards Category Most Recaptured Fish Gil Rigo 240 Lee Hughes 138 Most Tagged Fish Gil Rigo 1124 Scott Vinson 1289 Most Tagged Black Drum Marty Bull 16 Jim Jenrette 18 Most Tagged Black Sea Bass Buddy Noland 148 Robert Collins 151 Most Tagged Cobia Gil Rigo 4 Jim Jenrette 6 Most Tagged Flounder Gil Rigo 1092 Scott Vinson 1040 Most Tagged Gray Triggerfish Most Tagged Red Drum Robert Collins 14 Robert Collins 105 Wayne Seymour 519 Dennis Cline 68 Most Tagged Sheepshead Rick Guyot 4 Scott Vinson 228 Most Tagged Spadefish Stanley Gold 38 Bob Lee 78 Most Tagged Speckled Trout Robert Holtz 94 Ed Shepherd 328 Most Tagged Tautog Robert Collins 68 Ken Neill, III 206

49 Table 2A. Anglers Awarded Conservation Certificates for Tagging at Least 25 Fish During 2003 Tagger Black Black Sea Cobia Flounder Red Spadefish Speckled Tautog Total Drum Bass Drum Trout David Agee Welton Beard Marty Bull Erin Burge Roger Burnley Tim Capoldo Dennis Cline Robert W. Collins * Greg Edinger Dorothy Elliott Nancy Flader Stanley Gold Rick Guyot *** Mike Handforth Gerald Head Tom Heinz Charles Hester Robert S. Holtz Ron Hughes Jin Jenrette James Johnston Buddy Kerr * Ed Lawrence Ken Neill, III Buddy Noland Danny Noland W. T. Nottingham Bill Perron Mike Perron *** George Reiger

50 Tagger Black Black Sea Cobia Flounder Red Spadefish Speckled Tautog Total Drum Bass Drum Trout Gil Rigo Cory Routh Robert Savage Brett Schoeberl Wayne Seymour Barclay Shepard Sonny Spiers Chad Stoker David Sturt Bill Susewind Tom Thornhill Scott Vinson Lee Wallace John Walter Doug Wehner Gil Wilson James C. Wright *Total includes tagged gray triggerfish **Total includes tagged sheepshead ***Total includes tagged gray triggerfish & sheepshead

51 Table 2B: Anglers Awarded Conservation Certificates for Tagging 25 or More Fish During 2004 Tagger Black Black Sea Cobia Flounder Gray Red Sheeps- Spadefish Speckled Tautog Total Drum Bass Triggerf. Drum head Trout Dave Barbee Tracy Boyd Marty Bull Al Bunnell Tim Capoldo Doug Casady Steve Ciesielski Dennis Cline Robert W. Collins Wayne Collins Jeff Davis Dorothy Elliott Louis Ford Renshaw Fortier Ralph Giannini Stanley Gold Wayne Greer Rick Guyot Mike Handforth Marvin Hardisty DickHarris Gerald Head Tom Heinz Charles Hester Robert S. Holtz Lee Hughes Ron Hughes Jim Jenrette Charlie Johnson James Johnston Lee Kelly Buddy Kerr

52 Tagger Black Black Sea Cobia Flounder Gray Red Sheeps- Spadefish Speckled Tautog Total Drum Bass Triggerf. Drum head Trout Ed Lawrence Bob Lee Daniel LeGrande Jim Leiffer Terry Lowry John Maciejczyk Ken Neill, III Chris Newsome Stephen Newton W. T. Nottingham Bart Paxton Bill Perron Mike Perron Rich Pickens Andy Poulter Artie Rea George Reiger Jim Robinson Jimmy Robinson Cory Routh Robert Savage Brett Schoeberl Wayne Seymour Ed Shepherd Larry Slawson Sonny Spiers Chad Stoker Scott Vinson Doug Wehner Ray Willett Gil Wilson Steve Wray James C. Wright Jay Young

53 Table 3A. Anglers Having 7 or More Tagged Fish Recaptured During 2003 Tagger Black Black Sea Cobia Flounder Red Spadefish Speckled Tautog Total Drum Bass Drum Trout Erin Burge Tim Capoldo Robert W. Collins * Rick Guyot ** Mike Handforth Gerald Head Charles Hester Robert S. Holtz Ron Hughes Ed Lawrence Danny Noland Ken Neill, III Bill Perron Mike Perron Gil Rigo Wayne Seymour Sonny Spiers Chad Stoker David Sturt Tom Thornhill Scott Vinson John Walter Doug Wehner James C. Wright *Total includes 4 recaptured gray triggerfish**total includes 7 recaptured gray triggerfish

54 Table 3B: Anglers Having 6 or More Fish Recaptured During 2004 Tagger Black Black Sea Cobia Flounder Gray Red Sheeps- Spade- Speckled Tautog Total Drum Bass Triggerfish Drum head fish Trout Tracy Boyd Doug Casady Steve Ciesielski Robert W. Collins Dorothy Elliott Louis Ford Stanley Gold Rick Guyot Mike Handforth Robert S. Holtz Lee Hughes Bob Lee Jim Leiffer John Maciejczyk Ken Neill, III Mike Perron Rich Pickens Brett Schoeberl Ed Shepherd Larry Slawson Sonny Spiers Scott Vinson Doug Wehner Gil Wilson

55 Table 4. Tagged-Recaptured Fish and Overall Recapture Rates by Species ( ) No. Recaptured No. Recaptured No. Tagged No. Tagged Overall Recapture Rate Species Black Drum , % 5.5% 5.1% Black Sea Bass ,893 1, , % 15.1% 15.0% Cobia % 16.9% 13.7% Flounder ,149 3,537 3,673 7,248 24, % 9.1% 8.9% Gray Triggerfish % 37.4% 27.1% Gray Trout , % 0.7% 0.7% Red Drum ,045 2,730 2, , % 11.8% 11.4% Sheepshead % 8.6% 10.0% Spadefish , % 9.7% 10.1% Speckled Trout , , % 2.8% 2.8% Tautog , ,190 8, % 16.7% 15.7% Grand Total ,408 10,686 8,126 12,026 76, % 9.9% 9.7%

56 Table 5. Flounder Long-Term Recaptures (Year to Year)* Inside and Beyond Virginia Waters ( ) General Tagging Area Total Recaps Recaps Same Site Tagged Recaps VA-Off Tag Site** Total VA Recaps Non-VA Recaps Percent Percent Percent Percent Eastern Shore Inlets and Barrier Islands % 12 a 33% 19 a 53% a 17 a 47% a Inside Chesapeake Bay % 29 25% 87 75% 29 25% Total % 41 27% % 46 30% Note: *Days at large (DAL) for individual fish generally varied from about DAL (0.5-1 yr.) to DAL (1-2 yrs.). However, a flounder tagged October 2000 (at the Chesapeake Bay-Cherrystone Reef) was at large for 1,245 days (3.4 yrs.) before being recaptured March 2004 in the surf at Carolina Beach, NC (just north of Cape Fear). Estimated size at recapture was 19.8 in. TL (measured 13 in. TL when tagged). **Recaptures are in VA waters, but off from (as much as 3-35 miles away from) the original tagging site. a Chincoteague, VA area tagged fish, 7 of which were recaptured in waters around/inside Ocean City Inlet, MD (see Table 6; Recapture Location MD-OC, 7 fish recaptured from the tagging area Chincoteague Inlet/Wallops Island). These 7 fish are included here as Non-VA Recaps for the Eastern Shore (ES) Inlets-Barrier Island tagging area. However, taking a broader view of the coastwise dispersal of flounder tagged in Virginia locations, these fish were only recaptured approximately miles away from their a tagging site. In addition, they were recaptured in an area directly connected to their tagging site by interior waters (Chincoteague Bay, VA/MD and Sinepuxent Bay, MD). Therefore, they logically could either be included in Non-VA Recaptures or in Virginia recapture areas ( Recaptures VA-Off Tag Site ).

57 Table 6. Non-Virginia Recaptures of Tagged Flounder at Large Year to Year* ( ) Recapture Location Chincoteague Inlet Wallops Island Area Metompkin Inlet, Wachapeague-Hog Island Bay-Ship Shoal Inlet Areas Tagging Area Overall Eastern Shore Inlets & Barrier Islands In Chesapeake Bay Combined ES & Bay Areas No. Percent No. Percent No. Percent No. Percent No. Percent CT % 1 6% % NY 2 15% % 3 11% 5 11% NJ 3 23% 3 75% 6 35% 8 29% 14 31% MD-OC 7 54% % 1** 4% 8 18% NC 1 8% % 14 50% 15 33% SC % 2 4% Total Note: *Days at large (DAL) for individual fish generally varied from about DAL (0.5-1 yr.) to DAL (1-2 yrs.). However, a flounder tagged October 2000 (at the Chesapeake Bay-Cherrystone Reef) was at large for 1,245 days (3.4 yrs.) before being recaptured March 2004 in the surf at Carolina Beach, NC (just north of Cape Fear). Estimated size at recapture was 19.8 in. TL (measured 13 in. TL when tagged). **MD waters (Choptank River), but inside Chesapeake Bay

58 Table 7. Recaptures of Tagged Adult Red Drum Southern Barrier Islands, VA into Lower Bay Date Tagging Location Length Date Recapture Location Length Tag Type Days Out 5/5/02 Wreck Island Surf /7/04 Inner Middleground Shoal 40.0 Plastic Dart 764 6/16/02 Inner Middleground Shoal /12/03 Inner Middleground Shoal 42.0 Steel Dart 361 5/26/03 Ship Shoal Island Sandbar /17/03 Inner Middleground Shoal 48.5 Steel Dart 22 5/31/03 Ship Shoal Island Sandbar /15/04 Inner Middleground Shoal 48.0 Steel Dart 381 6/12/03 Inner Middleground Shoal /18/04 Inner Middleground Shoal 45.0 Steel Dart 372 6/16/03 Ship Shoal Island Sandbar /7/04 Inner Middleground Shoal 45.0 Steel Dart /7/03 Smith Island Surf /20/03 Smith Island Surf 47.5 Steel Dart 13 10/16/03 Cobb Island Surf /6/04 Hog Island Surf 43.5 Steel Dart 356

59 Table 8 Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program Long-Distance Speckled Trout Recaptures Tag Date Tagging Location Recapture Date Recapture Location Days At Large 9/22/04 Broad Bay (Lynnhaven) 11/30/04 9/22/04 Poquoson Flats 11/23/04 Bear Inlet, NC Surf (below Atlantic Beach) 38 Atlantic Beach, NC (Iron Steamer Pier) 31 10/1/04 Piankatank River 11/21/04 Rodanthe, NC Surf 51 10/13/04 Lynnhaven River 10/31/04 Pamlico Sound, NC (Swanquarter) 18 10/17/04 Rudee Inlet 10/26/04 Oregon Inlet, NC 9 10/22/04 Sandbridge Surf 10/27/04 Pamlico Sound, NC (Juniper Bay, Swanquarter) 5 11/6/04 Piankatank River 1/20/05 Cape Point, NC 75

60 Figure 1A. Tagging gun and Hallprint T-Bar tags (top) and stainless steel dart tag, and applicator (bottom) (Note: coin for scale 0.75 inches diameter); Hallprint tags (

61 Figure 1B. Number of Angler Taggers by Year and 2004 Distribution by General Residence Area Taggers by Year No. Taggers

62 Figure 2A. Total Fish Tagged and Recaptured by Species ( ) No. Fish Tagged Black Drum Black Sea Bass Cobia Flounder TG RCP Gray Trout Red Drum Gray Triggerfish Sheepshead Spadefish Speckled Trout Tautog

63 Figure 2B. Total Fish Tagged and Recaptured ( /2003/2004) No Fish Tagged Black Drum Black Sea Bass Cobia Flounder RCP Gray Trout Red Drum Gray Triggerfish Sheepshead Spadefish Speckled Trout Tautog

64 Figure 3. Number of Tagged Fish Black Drum Black Sea Bass Cobia Flounder Gray Triggerfish Gray Trout Red Drum Sheepshead Spadefish Speckled Trout Tautog

65 Figure 4A. Number of Recaptured Fish Black Drum Black Sea Bass Cobia Flounder Gray Triggerfish Gray Trout Red Drum Sheepshead Spadefish Speckled Trout Tautog

66 Figure 4B. Total Fish Recaptures by Species ( /2003/2004) No. Fish Tagged Black Drum Black Sea Bass Cobia Flounder Gray Trout Red Drum Gray Triggerfish Sheepshead Spadefish Speckled Trout Tautog

67 Figure 4C. Cumulative Tagged Fish Recapture Rates (%) Black Drum Black Sea Bass Cobia Flounder Gray Trout Red Drum Sheepshead Spadefish Speckled Trout Tautog

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72 Figure 8A. Flounder Site Fidelity Buckroe Pier ; Single and Multiple Recaptures of Tagged Fish Flounder Single Recaptures, Buckroe Pier Within Years, Flounder Double Recaptures - Buckroe Pier, Hampton Four Fish Tagged May 26, 2001 No. Fish Tagged 01(May 26-July13) N= 28 Tagged 02 (May 27-July 28) N= 44 Tagged 03 (June 8-Aug 3) N= Days at Large st Recapture 2nd Recapture 3rd Recapture Days To Recapture Individual Fish 2002 Flounder Double Recaptures - Buckroe Pier, Hampton Four Fish Tagged June 16 - July 6, 2002 First Recapture Second Recapture Flounder Double Recaptures-Buckroe Pier 2003 Tagged June 8-27, 2003 (Early Summer) 1st Recapture 2nd Recapture Days at Large Individual Fish Days at Large Individual Fish

73 Figure 8B. Flounder Site Fidelity Buckroe Pier: Early, Mid, and Late Summer 2003; Multiple Recaptures of Tagged Fish (*pier destroyed 9/03 by hurricane) Flounder Double Recaptures-Buckroe Pier 2003 Tagged June 8-27, 2003 (Early Summer) Days at Large st Recapture 2nd Recapture Individual Fish Flounder Double-Triple Recaptures Buckroe Pier 2003 Tagged July 4 - August 3, 2003 (Mid-Summer) 1st Recapture 2nd Recapture 3rd Recapture Days at Large Individual Fish Flounder Double Recaptures Buckroe Pier 2003 Tagged August 15 - September 6, 2003 (Late Summer)* First Recapture Second Recapture Days at Large Individual Fish

74 Figure 9A. Flounder Tagged Norfolk Naval Base Pier 2004 Single Recaptures at Pier Number Recaptures Days to Recapture

75 Figure 9B. Flounder Tagged Norfolk Naval Base Pier 2004 Multiple Recaptures at Pier Days to Recapture th Rcp 3rd Rcp 2nd Rcp 1st Recap Individual Fish

76 Figure 10A. Flounder Tagged Rudee Inlet 2004 Single Recaptures at Rudee Number Fish Days to Recapture

77 120 Figure 10B. Flounder Tagged Rudee 2004 Multiple Recaptures Inlet Area 2004 Combined Bar Height/Bar Values = Total Days Fish at Large (TDAL) Days to Recapture th Rcp 20 4th Rcp 3rd Rcp 2nd Rcp 1st Rcp Individual Fish

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