Quantifying the effects of pop-up satellite archival tags on the swimming performance and behavior of young-adult mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus)

Abstract

Pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) have been used to demonstrate habitat utilization and large-scale migrations of aquatic species and are a critical tool to manage highly migratory fish populations. Use of PSATs has increased in recent years; however, few studies have investigated the physiological and behavioral effects of carrying a PSAT. To address this gap, young-adult mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus; 25–35 cm fork length) were tagged with miniature PSATs and assessed in a two-part experiment utilizing swim tunnel respirometry and behavioral analysis of free-swimming individuals. Swim tunnel respirometry revealed significant reductions in the critical and optimal swimming speeds of tagged fish (10.2% and 20.9%, respectively), as well as significant reductions in maximum metabolic rate and aerobic scope (16.1% and 21.4%, respectively). In contrast, mean and maximum velocity, acceleration, total distance traveled, survival, and feeding success of free-swimming tagged fish showed no impacts of tagging compared with untagged conspecifics held in the same tank. The results of this study highlight the importance of considering multiple methodologies to assess the impacts of tagging fish and provide insight into the data collected by PSATs deployed on wild fish.

Brief Oil Exposure Reduces Fitness in Wild Gulf of Mexico Mahi-Mahi (Coryphaena hippurus)

“…Finally, increased mortality over the first 8 days cannot be attributed to tagging with PSATs since experiments on captive mahi-mahi found no effect on survival, feeding success, distance swam, acceleration, or velocity. 57 Given the higher rate of predation on oil-exposed fish in the first 8 days, alterations in depth and activity relative to control fish likely made oil-exposed mahi-mahi more vulnerable to predators.…”

Estimating post-release mortality of long-line caught tropical tunas in the Pacific Ocean

“…Other studies of tagged tuna captured by rod and reel also indicate that tagging itself does not result in high levels of mortality (e.g. Lam et al 2020Tolotti et al 2020, and lab studies also showed no survival or behavioural impacts of satellite tagged, captive mahimahi (Coryphaena hippurus) compared to untagged conspecifics (McGuigan et al 2021). It appears that the commercial longline hauling is more responsible for the high mortality we have observed, rather than the satellite tagging procedure itself.…”

A method for long‐term retention of pop‐up satellite archival tags (PSATs) on small migratory fishes

“…Although PSATs have advanced our understanding of the movements of many such migrants, the relatively large size of the first‐generation PSATs has largely prevented their use on many smaller fishes. Recent advances in PSAT technology have led to miniaturization of tags that permits their use on a wider range of fishes (Amilhat et al ., 2016; Graves et al ., 2009; McGuigan et al ., 2021; O'Neill et al ., 2018), but studies in which these tags have been used to track smaller fishes (30–50 cm) remain sparse. Long‐term attachment of satellite tags to smaller fishes has often been problematic.…”