Tagging History
2000 - 2004
Hawai’i Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) Ulua Tagging Project
Hawaiʻi’s original volunteer fish tagging project. Initially created in 1997 as a partnership between the state and members of the Hilo Casting Club, this project later expanded to include volunteer taggers statewide and collected valuable scientific information on Hawaiʻi’s ulua and papio (trevally) populations.
Learn more here!
2007 - 2015
PIFG Deep 7 Bottomfish Tagging Project
Working with expert bottom fishermen throughout the Pacific, PIFG has deployed over 16,000 tags in members of the "Deep 7” (some of Hawaiʻi’s most prized bottomfish) and contributed to significant advancements in the scientific understanding of those species.
2012 - 2013
PIFG ʻŌʻio Tagging Project
Working with lifelong commercial net fishermen, PIFG applied traditional Hawaiian fishing knowledge to a high volume mark-recapture study, tagging and releasing 3,000 ʻōʻio (bonefish) off the south shore of Oʻahu.
Read more here, or click the image to see our video!
2014 - 2016
PIFG ʻAhi Tagging Project
In partnership with Dr. Molly Lutcavage and local longline captains, PIFG deployed both satellite and conventional dart tags in yellowfin and bigeye tuna (ʻahi) of different sizes to improve scientific understanding of their movement patterns.
Learn more here!
2016 - 2019
PIFG Striped Marlin Tagging Project
In partnership with Dr. Molly Lutcavage and Dr. Chi Hin Lam, PIFG deployed satellite and conventional dart tags in juvenile and adult striped marlin (nairagi) to better understand their migration patterns, seasonality, and oceanographic associations in Hawai’i and across the Pacific.
Learn more here!
2016 - Today!
PIFG Tag It: Nearshore Gamefish Tagging Program
Tag It is a combined tagging initiative that focuses on the main target species of Hawaiʻi’s nearshore recreational fisheries: Papio/ulua (trevally) species, kahala (amberjack & almaco jack), ʻōʻio (bonefish), moi (threadfin) and kaku (barracuda).
The program provides valuable data on Hawaiʻi’s gamefish populations for applied scientific studies, such as this one on predator species in Heʻeia fishpond (2017).
Today, we continue to encourage our fishing community to support sustainable fisheries and be active in citizen science by getting involved with our tagging program!
Learn more about the program here!