Long-term retention of acoustic telemetry transmitters in temperate predators revealed by predation tags implanted in wild prey fish

J Fish Biol. 2019 Dec;95(6):1512-1516. doi: 10.1111/jfb.14156. Epub 2019 Oct 21.

Abstract

Bloater Coregonus hoyi (n = 48) were implanted with V9DT-2x predation transmitters and monitored on 105 acoustic receivers in eastern Lake Ontario for >6 months. Twenty-three predation events were observed, with predator retention of tags ranging from ≤1 to ≥194 days and 30% of retentions lasting >150 days. Long tag retention times raise concerns for acoustic telemetry analysis and the health of piscivorous predators retaining tags.

Keywords: Laurentian Great Lakes; acoustic telemetry; coregonid; gut evacuation; predation; tag retention.

MeSH terms

  • Acoustics
  • Animal Identification Systems*
  • Animals
  • Lakes
  • Ontario
  • Predatory Behavior*
  • Salmonidae*
  • Telemetry*