Dec 4th – 10th, 2011
The Billfish Research Project team successfully deployed the first two solar powered pop-up satellite tags (PSATs) into two Pacific Sailfish caught off Quepos, Costa Rica on Friday, December 9th. These tags are manufactured by Desert Star Systems and programmed by the Project’s scientific team to collect data on geo-location, depth and water temperature. The mission of The Billfish Research Project is to pursue collaborative efforts between the science and sport fishing communities to enhance the billfish research knowledge base. The results of these efforts will be communicated to fisheries management policy makers, the scientific community and the worldwide sportfishing community.
The onsite team consisted of:
Jamie Walker – The Billfish Research Project founder
Dr. John M. Dean, PhD - Chief Science Advisor
Robin Dean - Technical Editor
Luke Pearson – Documentary Film Maker
Frenzy Sportfishing based in Quepos, Costa Rica, provided logistics support:
Capt. Jose Hernandez – Captain of the FRENZY
Marco Solano – First Mate
Chela Hernandez - Second Mate
Jenny Walker – Angler
Two members of the Science Team were on station at the University of South Carolina:
Dr. Virginia Shervette, PhD – Science Advisor
Jeff Jefferson, MS - Satellite Telemetry Specialist
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| Dr. Dean explains the PSAT to mates Marco and Chela |
Tag #1 is programmed to collect data on 4-hour intervals and is scheduled for release and pop up for data transmission on January 9th, 2012. This tag represents a short-term system test and concept validation that will provide data to guide the team in the programming of additional tags. The second tag collects the same data and is programmed to pop up on June 1st, 2012. When additional tags are acquired the science team will program them based on specific data collection requirements and the performance of the first two tags.
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| Modified tag stick |
One of the unique tools the team developed was the tagging stick. An AFTCO tag stick was modified by cutting it off just below the second foam handle and inserting a wooden dowel containing the tag dart. The PSAT was temporarily attached to the tag stick with rubber bands that were cut after the tag was applied. Some exciting high quality video of the tagging process was captured with Luke’s Go-Pro camera attached to the tag stick.
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| The sailfish is blindfolded |
The first two days were spent rehearsing individual roles and responsibilities. For example, the mates devised a way of placing a blindfold over the sailfish’s eyes to calm the fish within 15 - 20 seconds. It was imperative that no harm was done to the fish and constant attention was given to the condition of the fish. Luke and Jamie coordinated their topside filming and photography efforts to document the process of bringing the fish alongside the boat, calming the fish with the blindfold and then placing the tag in the fish.
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| Luke films while Jenny cranks |
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| Marco brings the PSAT to the fish |
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| The PSAT is carefully placed in the sailfish |
It was fascinating to watch the mates, and Dr. Dean work together to make sure that the fish was safe and that the tag was inserted in the proper position. Dr. Dean also coordinated with Luke and Jamie to make sure that they documented every step of the tagging process.
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| Marco resuscitates the sailfish |
Once the tag was inserted and Luke and Jamie had all the topside video and photography accomplished, they donned snorkeling gear, grabbed their underwater cameras and dropped over the side into 3500 feet of water. FRENZY’s first mate Marco jumped overboard and took the fish from mate Chela. Marco slowly swam the fish away from the boat as Luke and Jamie captured this gentle, low stress free-swimming resuscitation with dramatic underwater imagery. These are the first underwater images of a billfish bearing a solar powered PSAT. After making sure that the sailfish was fully revived, Marco released the fish into the deep blue to begin its contribution to the study of billfish migration patterns.
What’s ahead for the team?
There is a lot of interest in The Billfish Research Project as there is so little known about billfish migration and life history. The team is back home in the US now debriefing on the events of the trip. Members of the team are working on their individual roles whether it be processing photographs, putting together the documentary video, developing a PSAT programming schedule or planning for the next series of PSAT deployments.
Members of the team are headed back to Costa Rica in late January to deploy additional tags. It is hoped that over the course of the spring the team will be able to tag as many as 15 to 20 billfish. The data from these tags will form the basis of the body of scientific research of billfish migration patterns off the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica.
Join us as the adventure continues…
Jamie Walker
Jamie@billfishresearch.com
