Use of a pop-up archival transmitting tag attachment in adult yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata under rearing conditions

Satellite Pop-up Archival Transmitting (PAT) tags are used to study the behavior of relatively large fish, such as tuna and marlin. To determine the applicability of PAT to smaller fish, we attached PAT replica tags (Microwave Telemetry Co.) to adult yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata (fork length 72-83 cm; bodyweight 9.3-13.3 kg). We then reared the fish in a cube-shaped net cage (each edge 5 m) placed in the sea. Three types of anchor were used to attach the PAT to the fish. A Hallprint anchor, which we considered to be the best for the fishes' health because of its small size, fell off 20 days after the start of the experiment. Wildlife Computers and Floy Tag anchors did not fall off during the rearing period, but the stainless-steel line connecting the PAT to each of the latter two anchors became detached after 135, 143, and 169 days. All the fishes to which the PAT had been attached lived for the duration of the experiment, although one individual had serious abrasions from the PAT. These results indicate that this type of PAT can be applied to adult yellowtail for studies of behavior and migration.