Evaluation of a Visible Implant Fluorescent Elastomer Tag in the Greenling Hexagrammos otakii

The aim of this study was to assess visible implant fluorescent elastomer (VIE) tagging in greenling Hexagrammos otakii. The experiental fish were anesthetized individually and marked with orange, yellow, red, and green elastomer at the following five body locations, respectively: the adipose eyelid, the surface of the dorsal fin base, the inside surface of the pectoral fin base, the inside surface of the pelvic fin base, and the surface of the anal fin base. Control fish were anesthetized but not marked. During the 20-month trial, fish growth and retention, underwater visibility, and readability of the tags were determined. After 20 months, body length of marked greenling ($43.2{\pm}3.5cm$, mean ${\pm}$ standard deviation [SD]) did not differ from that of the control ($41.4{\pm}3.7cm$). Additionally, the body weight of marked greenling ($527.4{\pm}39.8g$, mean ${\pm}$ SD) did not differ from that of the controls ($505.9{\pm}31.7g$). Greenling retained >90% of the tags at the surface of the dorsal fin base. The anal fin base showed a higher tag retention rate than the inside surfaces of the pectoral fin and the pelvic fin bases (P < 0.05). Red and orange tags were identified more easily underwater than green and yellow tags. Green and yellow tags emitted fluorescence in response to a narrower range of light wavelengths. Thus, the VIE mark was easy to apply to greenling (< 1 min per fish) and was readily visible when viewed under an ultraviolet lamp.