Publication Abstract

Tracking fish with electronic tags

J.D. Metcalfe and G.P. Arnold

Thedistributions of many species of fish show pronounced seasonal changes as a result ofmigration'. We are using longterm electronic tagging to study the migratory behaviour offish in the North Sea. Using simple measurements of depth and temperature, we have foundthat we can reconstruct the tracks of plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) migratingbetween the southern North Sea and their spawning areas in the eastern English Channel ornortheast coast of England. In this way we show that fish can visit more than one spawningarea within a single spawning season and that rates of movement are often ten times fasterthan those deduced from conventional mark-recapture experiments.

Reference:

J.D. Metcalfe and G.P. Arnold, 1997. Tracking fish with electronic tags. Nature, 387:665-6.