Yesterday the researchers tagged 150 Nassau grouper using a special tag called a Floy Tag. Each tag has a unique number on it and a colorful visible green tag that our team of divers can easily see underwater.
Today I did a fish count survey which is used by the scientists to estimate the population of Nassau grouper. For a fish count survey, I had a clipboard with a piece of underwater paper to record the data.
To complete the survey, I swam alongside the group of Nassau grouper that were up in the water column. I counted each Nassau grouper that I saw, counting up to 50. I would record any tagged fish that I saw within the group of 50. I counted a total of 7 groups of 50 fish and counted only 2 tagged fish. This means that there are much more fish at the SPAG than we estimated since we didn’t see many of the 150 fish that we had tagged just yesterday! It left us wondering, where are our tagged fish friends that we saw just yesterday. What do you think? Post where you think the fish might be in the comments.
I think the fish are probably somewhere nearby, maybe hiding around the seafloor.
Also, one question I had that I forgot to ask is that similar to Hula and the other fish with names, do certain fish have ‘personalities?’
The fish are most likely all there and present, it’s just that the fish have been spread out so the more fish, the less likely to see the tagged fish.
Good theory, Anastasia!
hi Todd!
Hi Samaya!
The fish might have separated from each other, they are probably somewhere nearby.
Good theory, Mayur.