PIT Program 2003 Gill Netting

Successfull gill netting is central to the BBFS PIT Tagging Program. This area of Wetpixel's PIT coverage will present an overview of how gill netting and PIT tagging is done here at the Sharklab.

Volunteer Team
the volunteer team		Obviously, an enthusiastic team of volunteers is necessary for successful gill netting. PIT 2003 consists of a team of 22, including staff. Most of the volunteers are marine biologists, with few exceptions.
Shark Pens
starting a new shark pen		Before gill netting and tagging can begin, shark pens must be constructed at key locations. The tagging boat must have a large pen to hold all of the captured sharks, and each net boat must have a smaller pen near the end of their gill nets to hold sick sharks and sharks caught during extreme low tides (when their boats may not be able to reach the tagging team). Pens are made of plastic fencing, rebar, concrete blocks, and zip ties.
shark pen assembly
securing the entrance
Equipment and Prep.
Fixing gill nets is an integral part of the gill netting process		A considerable amount of preparation is necessary before teams can go out into the field. Gill nets almost always have holes in them after twelve hours of netting sharks, and before they can be used again all of the holes must be fixed by hand. Each day while the away teams sleep, the home team fixes gill nets, cleans equipment, recharges batteries, and packs up boxes containing everything the away team may need in the field. In addition, the home team cooks dinner and delivers food out into the field late at night.
Getting the boats ready for an evening of gill netting
Gill Net Deployment
Setting a gill net		Gill nets are set perpendicular from the mangroves and are pulled taut. The water in the lagoons is shallow; the bottom of the net has lead weights attached to it and rests on the lagoon's bottom.
Net Checks
Doing a net check on foot		Every 15 minutes, net teams must check the nets to see if a shark has become entangled. This is done one of three ways: 1) by boat, if the tide is high enough, 2) by mask, snorkel, and fins, if the boat is away or occupied, or 3) by foot, if the tide is very low. When a shark is caught, it is de-tangled from the net and transported to the tagging boat for working up. To move a shark from the net to a boat, it is "walked," which moves water through its gills to keep it healthy during transit. When sharks are walked, they wiggle from side to side, as if they are swimming. In this state, it is unclear whether they know that they are being held or not. Sick sharks are also walked -- or bilged - until they revive.
Moving a shark from the nets to a transport box
Tagging
The tagging team, ready to work up sharks		All caught sharks are brought by boat to the tagging team to be worked up. After working up a shark, it is placed gently into the tagging pen so it is not caught in the nets again. The pen must be checked periodically to make sure that all of the sharks are healthy. To check the pen, a volunteer walks or snorkels around the inside of the perimeter, making sure that all of the sharks are swimming around normally. There are a few steps to a typical shark workup: 1) The shark is moved from the net boat's transport box to the tagging boat's box. 2) The shark is examined for wounds, parasites, umbilicus state (open or closed), and sex. 3) The shark is scanned to see if it already has a PIT tag (and is therefore a recapture). 4) The shark is measured and weighed 5) If the shark has no PIT tag, it is tagged at the base of the dorsal fin. 6) A DNA sample is punched out of one of the fins. The hole left by DNA sampling wlil scar over and can also be used for identification purposes. 7) The shark is placed in the holding pen. Typically, the working up process only takes a few minutes, and the shark is completely out of the water only while it is being moved from box to box and while it is being weighed. Some time during the evening (usually 3-6 hours after the nets have been set, depending on the tide), the home team delivers dinner to the away team. Boats are often tied together for a few minutes of socializing, but when it is too busy, the net boats rendezvous with the dinner boat to pick up food, and then leave immediately.
Doing a pen check
Taking salinity and temperature readings
Transferring a shark from a net boat to the tagging boat
Measuring a shark
Inserting a PIT tag
Taking a DNA sample
Weighing a shark
The dinner crew brings food!
Shark Maintenance
The shark pen, with caught sharks in it		Each location (Sharkland and the North Sound) is fished in two groups of three nights, with a break of one to three days between them. This means that caught sharks must be fed for for at least seven days while they are in the holding pen. Sick sharks (very rare) are taken out of the pen and walked until they revive.
A juvenile lemon sharks takes food
Release
A lemon shark leaves the pen		After all six nights of tagging, the sharks are released from the pens, with all of the volunteers participating. The pen is immediately disassembled and is either moved to the next tagging location or is brought back to the Sharklab. With the final disassembly of the pens, the PIT tagging program ends, leaving behind another year of data to be analyzed and having brought together as friends yet another group of volunteers.
Lemon sharks leaving the pen

PIT Program 2003 Long Lining

Long-lines are steel cables anchored at both ends, with floats and gangions with baited circle hooks on them alternating along the length of the line. Each float is wrapped in reflective silver tape, and each gangion is wrapped in reflective red or green tape. Long-line checks involve driving along each line, looking for alternating silver and red/green floats. If a gangion is missing, it is likely that a shark has taken the bait and is resting on the bottom, pulling it below the surface. To get to the shark, one of the adjacent floats is pulled up with a boat hook and the boat is pulled along the line until the gangion is reached.

Ultra-realistic drawing of a long-line, by Grant Johnson

Once the shark is found, it is gently pulled to the boat, and the gangion is attached to the cleat on the stern. This is done because large sharks can fairly easily pull the boat in the water if they decide to run, and there can be risk of sinking if the boat is pulled in any direction other than forward. Once the gangion is cleated off, the shark's tail is secured by a tailer (a pole with an adjustable metal loop at the end), which is replaced by a hangman's noose cleated off near the back of the boat. At this point, the shark is considered to be secured to the boat, and the anchor is dropped to prevent drifting too far while the shark is being worked up. All sharks are measured and tagged with a Casey tag. In addition, lemon sharks (being the primary shark that BBFS focuses on) are PIT-tagged and DNA-sampled.

The data from lemon sharks caught on the line supplement the data collected from PIT tagging seasons, especially if a lemon shark caught on the line has a PIT tag in it (meaning that it had been caught in the gill nets as a 0-3 year old).

Long-lining is an opportunity for BBFS volunteers to handle large nurse sharks, blacktip sharks, lemon sharks, and tiger sharks. Since the sharks are often exhausted after fighting on the line, they can be approached with relatively safety, even underwater. Large tiger sharks are caught in almost every cluster of long-lining days, but during this session (much to the surprise of the staff) only a single, small tiger shark was caught.

Moving cinder blocks to weigh down the end of each long-line

Throwing out a cinder block and anchor

Attaching a float onto the line

Throwing out the float

Throwing out a baited gangion and circle hook attached to the line

Getting control of the tail with a rope

Controlling the shark

Cutting a small slit into the base of the dorsal fin so the Casey tag can be inserted

Inserting a Casey tag

Data is collected in the log book

Removing the hook with vise grips

Resting just before dawn, after working up a shark

PIT Program 2003 Scientific Data

Old Comments

Can someone let Grant know that a letter showed up for him today reminding him it is time to renew his NAMBLA membership. I can go ahead and pay it but he'll need to pay me back. Thanks.

Adam

-- posted by Adam Johnson @ Friday, June 6 2003, 12:45 am

Jackie and Grant... you both looked gorgeous serving dinner!!!! And I never thought that I would see those award-winning cow suits again!

-- posted by Shannon @ Friday, June 6 2003, 07:42 am

steve, are you there? i hope that you have nt been eaten by big sharks chomp chomp... hope that you are well and may see you at reading however its more likley im going to newquay this 'summer' take it eazzzzzzzzy man , not to eazy though or ill get jealouse

-- posted by naomi alys john @ Friday, June 6 2003, 07:52 am

Eric when you get a moment in the future can you email me with how one applies to assist in this type of work and what sort of commitment and experience is required.

It is something I may want to try to assist in the future.

Thanks and take care,

Todd

-- posted by Todd Mintz @ Friday, June 6 2003, 08:45 am

Found the link to their website, no need. Only 15 mosquitos...you best avoid Saskatchewan. LOL

-- posted by Todd Mintz @ Friday, June 6 2003, 08:55 am

i think jackie has given me some of that look.. the one she is giving in the "dont mess with jackie" photo.... anyways... love this site, can finally see what jax "island girl" randell is up to... she is a very pretty girl....

thinking of you, mandy and "bitty"

-- posted by Mandy Molder @ Friday, June 6 2003, 09:31 am

Thanks for posting the pictures!...I have more of an idea of how the program works...and I also get to see my cutie, Drew ~Mandi

-- posted by Mandi @ Friday, June 6 2003, 10:10 am

Tarra, It appears from the photos that you have problems with some land sharks opposed to the ones in the water. Please be careful and keep the puppy posted at your door! RobbyJ

-- posted by robbyj @ Friday, June 6 2003, 10:47 am

You are a bunch of f------freaks! Or Vice versa!

-- posted by admirer @ Friday, June 6 2003, 01:40 pm

Happy 20th Birthday, Katie! We miss you. love, us

-- posted by Jessie, Val, and Jennifer @ Friday, June 6 2003, 03:19 pm

DREW, Mandi and I miss you!! Hope you're having the time of your life!!!!!!!! It looks like you're all having a blast!! Wish I was there....June > >

-- posted by June R @ Saturday, June 7 2003, 06:00 am

DREW, Mandi and I miss you!! Hope you're having the time of your life!!!!!!!! It looks like you're all having a blast!! Wish I was there....June > >

-- posted by June R @ Saturday, June 7 2003, 06:01 am

Matty - I miss you! Mazzoni and Slowick said to tell you that you were missed camping last weekend.have funnnnn! Love,me

-- posted by rebecca @ Saturday, June 7 2003, 09:05 am

CIAO MARRRTA !!!!!!! Che bello vederti giorno per giorno. Sono sempre più felice per te! Il progetto è bellissimo e anche le foto...Ti stritolo! Mary

-- posted by Mary @ Sunday, June 8 2003, 09:33 am

Drew: Tondra and I just returned from St. Thomas and learned of this website; we will tune in regularly; looks like you are alive and well and wet! Love Dad and TA

-- posted by Drew Lynford @ Sunday, June 8 2003, 12:41 pm

Sonny -

It's all my fault. I must apologise for having encouraged Eric Cheng to come to BBFS. In the good old days such subversives would not have been tolerated. He's single-handedldy trying to replace real photography with all this digital mumbo-jumbo. I suggest you cut his o-rings when he's asleep.

Jeremy Stafford-Deitsch.

-- posted by Jeremy Stafford-Deitsch @ Sunday, June 8 2003, 02:22 pm

KATIE! I meant to say Happy Birthday too!! Hope you're having fun! Jennifer says hi and she hopes you're doing well...and I also want to add: Girl, you need to get in some more of those pictures!

-- posted by Cheryl (from UCSB) @ Sunday, June 8 2003, 06:10 pm

Pittsburgh has this website, not to mention West Virginia, Virginia, Connecticut and Texas. All of you guys are famous. Pat Bee, Rita, Sarah & Donald, of course, the clan in Virginia all send their love. Glad you like the Pennsylvania Mosquito Suit! Love ya bunches. Mom & Dad

-- posted by Melissa @ Sunday, June 8 2003, 08:54 pm

Oops! the last message was for Melissa, not posted by Melissa

-- posted by Julie & John @ Sunday, June 8 2003, 08:55 pm

DREWWW!!, hey drew, thanks for showing me this link. Your program looks awsome, and it looks like you are having a lot of fun! Wish I was there too. Research with tachycineta (swallows) is... alright. Enjoy the surf, sharks and sun!! ~Daniel

-- posted by Daniel Hanley @ Sunday, June 8 2003, 09:23 pm

Katie - We realize you have your hands literally full of shark babies while the bugs wreak their own peculiar type of havoc! But knew you would wonder --- no TCW this year. Chin up.... took 25 yrs after Citation to find the beloved Secretariat. Bet you're having the time of your life! All miss you on a daily basis and love you as always, M&D&Wm. Great site; we check it every day for Eric's updates!

-- posted by M., D., & A Big Black Dog @ Monday, June 9 2003, 08:36 am

Love the pictures!!! The pictures give an insight into what you all are doing. It is also reassuring to know you all are well and having some fun. Love the "Homies" on the table.

-- posted by Cynthia Young @ Monday, June 9 2003, 10:23 am

Hey Big Daddy,

Look like your having fun, i only have the one exam to go. Woooohooooo!!!!

and yes all the rumors that you have heard about me are true, and yes she was 42 and what you heard she did is also true. Heard about your hair keep it for when you come back

Gibbo

-- posted by GIBBO @ Monday, June 9 2003, 01:51 pm

ciao martina!!!ma quando sei finita li'?sei il mio mito continua cosi!!!!!baci robina

-- posted by roby @ Monday, June 9 2003, 04:05 pm

ciao carra MArrrrrrrrrTA!!oh!!cosi' mi piace!!figata questo sito!così ti possiamo vedere tutti &tutti i dì!!!mettete pure una webcam live in streaming! sembri super a tuo agio li!!!è proprio il tuo mondo!!!....bè meglio nn dirtelo troppo se no nn torni più!:) sembra tutta gente simpa!ma chi è quel mostro giappano che sta sempre con la telecamera in mano??Ruth-to nn è male...ma tu 6la migliore!!any new love affair??dai dai dacci la password e la username per leggere di tutti gli spetteguless!!!ovviamente ti invidiamo tutti...!!!culona!!!!!!!!!!!!!11ciao &baci. Marco

-- posted by sir Marco Bonneau @ Monday, June 9 2003, 05:25 pm

hey eric, some of the images from the 6/4 evening gallery are broken

-- posted by rc @ Monday, June 9 2003, 07:06 pm

Hey MO!!! I miss you bunches! Your trip sounds like so much fun...wish I was there! Take care of yourself and maybe you'll be as domesticated as me oneday ;) I have a really great pic of us from graduation and I'll send a copy to you when you check your mail more regularly. I'll talk to you soon! HUGS & Smiles always!!! :)

-- posted by Jenny Lynn @ Monday, June 9 2003, 09:18 pm

Ciao marta!!! Divertiti... un bacino Ciccì

-- posted by Laura @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 03:47 am

hey floppy al, hope everythings goings well, exams nearly over then caning it for a few weeks!! looking foward to seeing you take care love maddy xxx

-- posted by Maddy @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 05:19 am

DREWzleberry!!! cool program. you'll never guess how the israeli tree hugger turned business woman in miami. raise tha roof in bimini and holla atchya grrrl.

-- posted by starry ninja @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 08:34 am

Johanna,

Just wanted to drop a quick note and tell you how much I have enjoyed this website. The experience you guys are having is phenominal! Enjoy! And I will be reading the website daily!

Love you, Aunt Kimberley

-- posted by Kimberley Srafin @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 08:59 am

Hi all --

congrats on keeping up the good work. Wish I could be there. Special hello to kristene, bryan, steve, al, indy and ratdog. Oh, and peli I suppose. 'Bout time you put her in a pie :) If you're on the tagging boat--don't forget to throw a couple of "hotdogs" in the main pen when you get bored at night... always used to help carry me through those early hours!!

Enjoy, Steve

-- posted by Steve Newman @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 09:32 am

Hey Big Daddy

I have had enough!! Going insane a week to go ahhhhhh!!

Going to go and jump off the top diving board with all my books.

See soon in Londinium where the streets are paved with gold!!

-- posted by Matt @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 11:17 am

Eric, I love your new punk aboriginal hair! Hahaha! Gorgeous photos! What kind of species is "naked boy"?

-- posted by Raymond @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 11:58 am

Hi hunny (Ryan), Ok, I didnt make you a sign but I hope this sort of makes up for it.

Thinking about you more and more as the days go by. How is Muffin? And Melanus?

love you lots :) and miss you more rebecca

-- posted by rebecca @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 04:39 pm

hey--this is for matthias--just got your email. hope all is well-sending u a personal email to update you with whats going on here. MISS YA!

helaine

-- posted by helaine @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 05:40 pm

what an awesome site, we loved the pictures, it looks like you are having a grand time. your arms look like they have a few bites. keep up the great expierence, see you soon debbie&stephen

-- posted by rebecca dolson @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 06:43 pm

drew Da Rew! How is your paw? Rumor has it that a lemon shark pulled a whippy whip, snapped on with a trippy grip and bit skippy snip. should of flipped the script on that mother. straight up practice for the big dogs. when you gonna tag the g-w? anybody seen roy schneider down there? word is the man don't like to swim. thinking of you. tora bora and doogles (MC Snoop & DJ Tazzy T)

-- posted by Tory & Doug @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 06:46 pm

My favorite picture is of Grant's buttcheeks.

-- posted by Joey Imhoff @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 06:55 pm

Drew: When you read this, please call me, or e-mail me, about your plans and whereabouts; love, Dad

-- posted by Drew: @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 07:04 pm

p.s forgot to tell you kitty(muffin) is just fine, and I am looking after the fish, robin says hello, and have a great time for her too. call us or e-mail, or see you soon. love mom, stephen, kitty, and miss "p"

-- posted by rebecca dolson @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 07:19 pm

Hey Girl, You look beautiful. This website is marked on everyones "favorite" in SSC not to mention everywhere else. You and your friends look like you're having a blast. Everyone here is envious. We have email mel554@comcast.net - T'wld be nice to hear from ye! Lots of Hugs and Kisses. Mom

-- posted by Julie @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 07:19 pm

Hey Rebecca. Melanus is happy, he always comes up whenever I open the cage, it's pretty cool. ____ ___ __----__ _/\ _/^ __ ^\_ /~^_/ | )/^ ^-^ _/ _/^ _/^ ^\_ ^\ | ./ /~ /( _/\. _/^_/^--_ ^\_^\-__-~ _/( \ _/ ./ ./^_/| \_ ~\ \_^\_ /^ _( ~-_ _/ \./\ _/^_/ \_ ~\ \ ^\__^\../^_/^ (\ ~~~~ _\/

-- posted by Ryan G @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 08:25 pm

Uh. That came out all mangled. I'll email it instead. I miss you tons. Hope you're having a good night.

love ryan

-- posted by Ryan G @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 08:28 pm

Hey pumpkin (Tarra...in case there's more than one pumpkin in Bimini). Luv ya'....miss ya' lots...The pics are great to see every day.....including the naked guys (your Mom made me type that!)....see ya soon..have fun.

-- posted by Mom & Dad @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 09:48 pm

Hey Grant, The pictures are great, and it's good to see that your cross dressing wasn't just a "college phase" thing.

-- posted by casey @ Tuesday, June 10 2003, 11:53 pm

CIAO MARTA PANTERA!!!!! che bello sapere che c'è qualcuno al mondo che non fa un czz.. e che sta in bikini tutto il giorno mentre mi sciolgo in ufficio!!!! sei sempre splendida, quando ti palesi dal vivo?? lo sai, il mio squaletto avrebbe tanto bisogno delle tue cure. in english now: dear marta I love you. I need you. My fish is very kind of you. thake care! kisses The Lipid-ONE

-- posted by Lipidone @ Wednesday, June 11 2003, 02:18 am

MARTAAAA DACCI UN SEGNO DELLA TUA PRESENZA SU QUESTA PAGINA!!!!!BUT SOOOONNN!!!!

-- posted by AFATTELICAZZITUA @ Wednesday, June 11 2003, 03:06 am

Hey girl, good to see you again after NINE MONTHS! My memory of you had frozen into what you looked like in my Boston pics! Hope you are having more fun than you did hacking up dead whales on Cape Cod last year. Love Ebby

-- posted by Ebby @ Wednesday, June 11 2003, 03:07 am

Oops, that last one was for Melissa - guess you could have figured it out though - not many people have friends called Ebby!

-- posted by Ebby @ Wednesday, June 11 2003, 03:09 am

Joy! What are you doing out there again? What have u been up to? Hello to Laura, Alan, Grant & Jackie too - I'll be back to cause chaos when I get some money. And hello and thanks of course, to Doc and Marie. Good luck to all of you!

-- posted by Nick Masters @ Wednesday, June 11 2003, 05:22 am

hola, this web site is cool. really enjoyed it!! looks fantastic over there and that you're having a wicked time! see you soon, love amy xx

-- posted by Al @ Wednesday, June 11 2003, 07:56 am

oops, s'posed to write my name and email ad, but wrote yours instead. hehehe

-- posted by amy @ Wednesday, June 11 2003, 08:00 am

Jo,

Sweetie it looks so awesome and I'm so glad that you are having a great time! I hope everything comes together with your project. I will send some love soon.

Love, Anne

-- posted by Anne @ Wednesday, June 11 2003, 08:08 am

MATTHIAS - COME HOME soooon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! love,me

-- posted by becky @ Wednesday, June 11 2003, 12:32 pm

johanna,

what awesome photos and great stories. i just finished reading the journal and looking at the pictures. i knew i should have pursued that dream of being a photograher for national geographic...what a fantastic way to live. i am getting your package in the mail today...was there anything else other than your purple bikini? andrew is getting baptized on sunday so we will all be at granny and pappy's about noon time if you are able to get to a phone.(father's day..in case you have lost track of time in a calendar sense) talk to you soon.

hugs and kisses mom

-- posted by mom @ Wednesday, June 11 2003, 12:46 pm

Hey, Mo! It sounds like you are having a really great time and learning a lot. I miss you so much and can't wait to see you when you get back. Well, girl I made it to sticky Augusta and finally working. But continue to have fun and remember that all your friends back home miss you. love, spiv

-- posted by Nichole Spivey @ Wednesday, June 11 2003, 03:19 pm

Melissa, Looked into the journal. You're beautiful looks like you're having a great time and keep up the good work. Your mother let me in on this website at work.

Jason

-- posted by Jason @ Wednesday, June 11 2003, 04:35 pm

JO

COOL AIRPLANE.

-- posted by shark divin' bud @ Wednesday, June 11 2003, 07:29 pm

To Johanna Imhoff.

Looks like fun! You guys are doing some really cool stuff. Are you around the famous wall that was at one time though to be Atlantis?? In any case Joana, please send e-mail me a pic of you there so I can put it on rojahns.com. Sincelrely, your land-loving, web developing 2nd cousin...Matthew Van Buskirk - Wilkes County - NC

-- posted by Matt Van Buskirk @ Wednesday, June 11 2003, 10:59 pm

JOEY...You're supposed to like the pictures of SHARKS the best. Or at least the pictures of ME! Love you. Keep everything under control in NH.

-- posted by Johanna @ Wednesday, June 11 2003, 11:15 pm

MATT~ I'll try to get Eric to send you a pic. I'm not in charge of the photo-internet thing here. I also have some from when I visited Granny and Pappy in Vero in March, along with Andy and Deborah. They're in print form, though, and at home, so I'll have to get them to you later. Apparently the wall...the Bimini Wall...is in fact here. I'll let you know if I see it. Take care.

-- posted by Johanna @ Wednesday, June 11 2003, 11:18 pm

Mo, please call me if possible, I need to get your driver's license number for some paperwork for your car. Love ya, Mom

-- posted by Mom @ Thursday, June 12 2003, 05:54 pm

Matthias Nightfisher! I`ll be in Bermuda next week doing some snorkeling...other sector of the Triangle. Will be thinking of your night adventures! Have a great summer!! Big Jack

-- posted by Jack Galgon @ Friday, June 13 2003, 09:16 am