The PNAMP Fish Population Monitoring Group’s Summary
of the Tagging, Telemetry and Marking Project
Update No. 6 and General Description of Progress to Date
Summary:
Since early 2006, PNAMP has been successful in its initial outreach stages aimed at
identifying the substantial number of people and the sheer volume of tactical efforts
aimed at TTM across and outside the Pacific Northwest. This reinforces our vision of
need and our conscientious intent to expand our geographic scope. Ultimately, we will
publish applicable manuscripts into a single strategic compilation, the form and format of
which is currently being finalized.
This PNAMP-led product (with our many partners) will produce a useful and organized
resource for use by scientists, researchers, and practitioners for the next twenty years.
Finally, this project is intended to provide for better informed policy level discussions
and actions.
The June issue of the American Fisheries publication of “Fisheries” (Vol. 32 No 6)
provides ample and concrete rationale to continue and expand organized efforts and ask
for your contributions.
Measurement is the key component in most investigations of fish and shellfish. The
ability to identify individual and groups of fishes, as well as their habits,
movements, and mortality, is crucial to effective fisheries science. The methods used
must be appropriate, accurate, and repeatable.
While uncertainty is an integral part of dealing with biological systems, as
scientists it is crucial that we use methods that minimize uncertainty in order to
improve the conservation and sustainability of fisheries and aquatic resources. In
June 1988, over 400 fisheries and aquatic scientists gathered in Seattle,
Washington, for the "International Symposium and Educational Workshop on FishMarking Techniques." This landmark event included presentations on virtually
every fish tagging method in use at that time. The ultimate product was the 1990
publication Fish Marking Techniques, American Fisheries Society Symposium 7,
arguably one of the most influential fisheries publications in decades. In the nearly
20 years since that symposium, the world of fisheries science has changed
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dramatically; the technologies and analytical procedures available for marking and
monitoring fisheries Have evolved as well. Fish marking technologies on the cutting
edge two decades ago are now commonplace, and new technologies are developed
yearly. Clearly, the time has come to bring together again global expertise on fish
tagging techniques and data analysis [emphasis added].
This Fisheries column states categorically what PNAMP is doing and why we are
coordinating and collaborating with six-eight symposia asking for manuscript proposals
and taking the lead to compile this information for use by the large community we serve.
I.
CALL FOR AUTHORS
A First call for manuscripts has been sent to over 250 practitioners, experts and
researchers. The response deadline for this first call is November 16. We will issue
second and final calls in the winter and spring to coincide with several symposia and
technical conferences from which content will be sought. The call for authors alludes to
a “book” in order to provide authors with tangible reward for their contributions. We use
the term book in general, but intend to continue discussions on the final format and form
of the guidance. This may be a technical manual, book, manuscript series, but the
product will necessarily be some form of formal publication.
II.
REPORT FROM SAN FRANCISCO
The San Francisco annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society was a success on
several levels for PNAMP. The response from the potential contributors was positive and
supported by AFS and many scientists involved with TTM designs and projects. This
conference was attended by nearly 2,700 fisheries professionals. TTM-related
presentations also numbered over 140.
Finally, we are in negotiations with USGS to partner on the TTM effort. This partnership
will represent yet another positive and productive partnership and collaboration
opportunity.
III.
ABSTRACT AND MANUSCRIPT POOL
Manuscript submittals derived from San Francisco that will add major content to the
TTFG product, the NPCC inventory project and will be similar to the topics presented at
the upcoming NPIC Chapter meeting, the ASPRS (April 2008) and the Tagging and
Marking conference in New Zealand in February 2008. We are considering a companion
DVD also for the TTM product to allow methods and additional information to be
available and “update-able.”
As stated above, the quality and quantity of TTM topics at this meeting was deep and
broad. Here are examples of presentations that could eventually end up in the TTM book
and assist in PNAMP reaching its goal:
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Use global expertise to combine the disparate tactical and individual
efforts regarding the science of tagging, telemetry and marking into a
single technical manual and long-term program strategy for
recommendation to the Executive Network by PNAMP.
Note: the TTM project recognizes, more now that at any other time, the vast amount of
information, designs and technology being used to monitor fish populations and assess
plan and action effectiveness. This supports PNAMP’s decision to compile this
information to aid the region in sifting through all this information for what is applicable
and necessary to meet our Charter and Strategic Plan objectives.
IV.
AFS AND OTHER PUBLISHER CONTACT
BELOW IS A RESPONSE FROM THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY
-----Original Message----From: Aaron Lerner [mailto:alerner@fisheries.org]
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 5:51 AM
To: Keith Wolf
Subject: Re:
Hi Keith,
I have no questions about the project - it sounds very worthwhile, and
something that AFS would probably be interested in publishing. I'd
encourage you to submit our publications proposal form at the
appropriate time.
Aaron
In conclusion: we contacted other scientific publishers (Blackwell and Wiley) to give the
FPM and PNAMP options in the future for who and how this product is published. And,
David Johnson, Dr. Eric Knudsen and other book authors have volunteered to assist
PNAMP in preparation of this proposal and review/editing duties.
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