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BUZZBAIT [CONSER VATION]


TARPON DNA STUDY ENLISTS ANGLERS


BY DAVID A. BROWN F


lorida kayaker Walt Ruda targets tarpon along the beaches from Sarasota to New


Port Richey in a Malibu Stealth. “It’s the most exciting fishing we’ve ever done. The best part of the fight is in the first five minutes—they jump, sometimes right next to you—after that it’s a big pull,” he says. When he brings one of the silver kings as


long as he is tall to the side of his kayak, he pauses a moment to break out an abrasive scrub pad. He swipes it across the big fish, col- lecting a skin cell sample, then enlists a fellow paddler’s assistance for the careful pre-release resuscitation. “It is quick and efficient,” he says. “There’s


no way to control the tarpon and paddle at the same time so I have a buddy standing by with a rope ready to start paddling and towing me as soon as I get a photo of the fish. This helps with survival rates. We try to do the best we can for the fish.” This is Ruda’s way of helping preserve the


magnificent fish he loves to battle. He’s par- ticipating in Florida’s cutting-edge Tarpon Genetic Recapture Study. Fully inclusive of kayak anglers, the burgeoning program de- pends largely upon public participation and represents the future of fish tracking. Fisheries biologist Kathy Guindon of the


state’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute heads up the joint research project between FWRI and the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota. Using forensic science to analyze DNA samples taken


B Y T H E N UM BE R S


FISHING KAYAKS BY PAUL LEBOWITZ


SKIN SWIPE


Plenty of fish to preserve for posterity. PHOTO: THOMAS COFFEE


from caught-and-released tarpon, the program gathers basic details that may shed some light on what happens aſter a release. “Tarpon are hardy fish and the data shows


that they survive” Guindon says. “The next question was how many are caught again and where?“ As Mote biologist Carole Neidig notes, the


study’s slogan “Any Tarpon, Anywhere, Any Size” is more far-reaching than conventional tagging. The DNA method opens the study to more fish and more data. “Genetic sampling allows you to take DNA


from any size tarpon, whereas we wouldn’t have used conventional tags for smaller fish,” Neidig says. “You can take that sample and we’ll know that fish forever.” Tarpon are highly migratory and supremely challenging to catch, so lifestyle data is harder


» Introductory year of the Royak, the original sit-


on-top kayak: 1968


» Introductory year of the Malibu Ocean Kayak


Scupper, the prototypical fishing kayak: 1971


» Weight by percentage of plastic in a typical


contemporary fishing kayak: 95+


» Rotationally molded (rotomolded) boats in


Fishing kayak roe. PHOTO: PAUL LEBOWITZ


18…KAYAK ANGLER SUMMER/FALL 2011


the 2011 Kayak Angler Boat Buyer’s Guide, by percentage: 68


to acquire than with other common inshore targets. Guindon says that Florida—the state where tarpon fishing is most popular—is par- ticularly interested in learning more about the fish’s spawning habits. “There are a lot of unknowns,” Guindon


says. “Just because Florida is doing a good job of managing our fisheries, it doesn’t mean that other areas in which these fish are caught are being managed properly.” Ruda says he appreciates the opportunity to


help preserve the sport he loves. “The adren- alin of watching that tarpon come flying out of the water 20 feet from your kayak is incred- ible. Knowing that the fish swam away to fight another day is very rewarding.” For information on genetic tagging or sam-


pling kits, call (800) 367-4461 or email Tarpon- Genetics@myfwc.com.


» Typical rotomold manufacturing


temperature, in degrees Fahrenheit: 600


» Rotomold cooking time of a fishing kayak,


in minutes: 30–50 » SOT kayak


manufacturing time, in weeks, from plastic powder to shipping truck: 1–2


» Thermoformed boats in the 2011 Kayak Angler


Boat Buyer’s Guide, by percentage: 7


» Inflatable boats in the 2011 Kayak Angler


Boat Buyer’s Guide, by percentage: 8


» Weight of the heaviest fishing kayak in the


2011 Kayak Angler Boat Buyer’s Guide, a Mirage Pro Angler (Hobie calls it a boat), in pounds: 138


» Weight of the lightest fishing kayak in the


2011 Kayak Angler Boat Buyer’s Guide, an Innova Twist I inflatable, in pounds: 16


This won’t hurt a bit. PHOTO: DAVID A. BROWN


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