Tagging experiments on trawl‐caught trevally, Caranx georgianus, off north‐east New Zealand, 1973–79

A total of 2676 trevally, Caranx georgianus Cuvier, was tagged in the Hauraki Gulf and Bay of Plenty during 1973 and 1974. Fish were caught by research trawler, anaesthetised, and tagged with spaghetti tags. During the following 5 years, 130 tags (4.9%) were returned. Most recaptures came from set nets (42%), followed by commercial trawlers (22%), Danish seiners (11%), research trawl (9%), other methods (7%), and method unknown (9%). Excluding tagged fish taken by research trawl, 85% of tag returns were made by commercial fishermen and 15% by amateurs. Initial tagging mortality was low, but was probably significant over an extended period. Movements of trevally were limited; 88% moved less than 30 nautical miles (55 km) from the release site. However, there was sufficient movement to regard trevally from the Bay of Plenty and probably also the Hauraki Gulf as one stock.

Keywords:

• Caranx georgianus
• tagging
• movements
• tagging mortalities
• Hauraki Gulf
• Bay of Plenty
• trawling