Do not tag these fish and Why -
Tag Red Drum (Spottail) under 18".
Our (SCDNR) in-house research program already tags red drum in the 14 – 18 inch size range that are captured in trammel nets. We simply need more information on larger fish than smaller ones.
Tag spotted seatrout.
Historically poor tag retention and high release mortality. Trout are not as resilient as other species and are better off just being released.
Tag any species of flounder.
Currently we have enough data on flounder and at this time they are not considered a priority species.
Use small (E series) tags on large fish (over 27").
Poor tag retention. It is difficult to get a small tag to lock in between dorsal spines that are obviously spaced farther apart on larger fish.
Use large (K or A series) tags on smallfish (less than 27").
Tags are probably somewhat of an irritant to fish and a large tag stuck in a small fish may cause undue stress and may increase release mortality.
Tag any fish under 12"
At 12" the species eligible in this program are still juveniles and even our smallest tag (E series) is too large. Historically, we have had very low tag return rates on fish less than 12".
Tag fish trapped in impoundments.
We get no movement information when fish are recaptured. These fish are not representative of a general population. Growth rates and mortality may be different because of the controlled environment.