ESTIMATES OF TAG LOSS FROM DOUBLE-TAGGED SABLEFISH, ANOPLOPOMA-FIMBRIA

Between 1986 and 1988, 10,545 double-tagged sablefish were released of f California, Oregon, and Washington. Tags recovered from these fish h ave provided one of the best sets of data available for estimating tag -shedding rates. We developed a new model and a maximum-likelihood pro cedure to estimate the rates. Both initial and long-term shedding rate s were low, but posteriorly placed tags were shed at about twice the r ate of anteriorly placed tags. Bootstrapping indicated that the estima tes were precise and accurate. Shedding rates for sablefish were consi derably lower than most published estimates for other species. Althoug h the rates were low, the extra tag increased recoveries by nine perce nt over a six-year period.