Fish Tagging via RFID and Bluetooth: Field Testing and Lessons Learned

Conventional tagging methods using plastic streamer tags have been the most widely used tool for elucidating fish movements in the last half century. These methods for fish tagging and tracking are error-prone for tracking global fish populations due to the requirement of fishermen to log details of each catch while they are also attempting to perform all of their usual at-sea activities. Under the current method, fishermen are required to remember the time and location of the catch, the size of the fish, and the weight of the fish. In addition, to report a previously tagged fish a fisherman is asked to cut off and keep the tag from the fish. In both cases the fisherman must go back and submit a form with all relevant detail, which often depends on information they try to recall from memory of events earlier in the day or even several days before. The long delay and relative difficulty associated with catch and data entry creates a barrier to data collection and poor data logging. Building on the work of the Olin College of Engineering Intelligent Vehicles Laboratory, Point Road Solutions, LLC, in partnership with the Large Pelagics Research Center (LPRC) and the Pacific Islands Fisheries Group (PIFG) have been developing a more streamlined, automated method for fishermen reporting data from fish tags while at sea. In the new process, a fish is tagged with a modified streamer tag carrying a rice grain-sized RFID chip. A fisherman can scan the tag at or near the moment of capture with a compatible RFID reader, which will transmit the fish's tag information to a personal smartphone pre-installed with our reporting application (Hawaii, or HI Tag App). The application then appends the tag ID with information, e.g., location, date and time, from the phone. From the application, the fisherman has the option to save the form directly as generated, correct or input any missing data (length, weight) or add richer data (e.g., a photo of the fish) before saving the form and storing the data on internal memory. When the application detects a cellular or wireless connection, the data will be immediately uploaded to the Pacific Islands Fisheries Group database. Initial tests conducted off the island of Hawaii (summer 2016) demonstrated that the HITag application greatly improved the process of fish tagging and reporting when compared to conventional manual methods of data logging. However, data entry required heads-down time on the vessel while working with the phone app, a fairly high level of precision when inputting data (on the phone), and regular interactions with the RFID reader between logging events. Fishermen partners who participated in testing deemed this inappropriate, by the and recommended a simpler, more streamlined process compatible with working conditions found on a fishing vessel at sea. To that end, our interdisciplinary team modified the app and also created a new, custom-designed RFID reader designed for use in the kind of challenging environment found on a small working fishing boat at sea. Additional hardware and interface testing was then conducted in the summer of 2017 off Kona, Hawaii, with two fishing vessels, captains and crew members in order to expand testing as well as user feedback. Tag data was uploaded to the Pacific Islands Fisheries Group tag data portal. The team then conducted a post-mission interview and debriefing with our fishermen partners to determine what aspects of the new generation tagging system were improved, and which elements of the system and process they found effective or not useful or expedient.