NEWS RELEASE

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

January 8, 2001

CONTACT: Sam McKinney (352) 732-1225

BASS TAGGING BEGINS SOON

January 3, 2001 CONTACT: Joe Jenkins (904) 985-7880

Biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will begin tagging largemouth bass in Lake Beresford in Volusia County late this week or early next week as part of a project to evaluate the number of trophy-sized bass there.

A common comment from anglers is that they would like to catch more trophy-sized bass (22 inches in length or longer) in the St. Johns River area, and feel the reason they aren't is because the large fish simply aren't there.

The tagging project, in conjunction with a one-year angler creel study and a two-year electro fishing project, will help scientists determine if there are fewer large bass and if so, why. It will also help determine if more stringent regulations for harvesting largemouth bass will improve anglers' chances of catching quality or trohpy-sized fish.

"Many anglers are concerned that there is a shortage of trophy-sized largemouth bass in the St. Johns River. This project will help us determine if the shortage is real or perceived," said Joe Jenkins, project leader of the FWC's Quality Fish Management Project in DeLeon Springs. "If it's real, the tagging, along with the data we've collected through creel surveys and electro fishing sampling, will help us discover if it is because of biological factors or from angler over-harvest."

The bass will be tagged with an orange nylon tag near the dorsal (top) fin. Anglers who catch one of these tagged fish should call the FWC's DeLeon Springs Fisheries office at (904) 985-7880 and provide basic information such as where and when the bass was caught, and to receive further instructions. There is a reward of up to $50 for information, but the tag must be turned in to collect the reward. Do not attempt to pull the tag out of the fish; instead simply clip it near the skin. The fish can then be kept or safely released.

Informational signs about the tagging project are posted at fish camps, marinas and around the lake. For more information call Jenkins at (904) 985-7880.