Coastal Bay's Program annual Tautog survey

Type: Ocean
Region: Ocean
Location: near shore wrecks off Ocean City

As part of the Coastal Bay's Program annual Tautog, Tautoga onitis survey samples of 'tog' were collected on the near shore wrecks off Ocean City. Recreational Anglers and Fisheries Service Employees participated in the survey, collecting seventy six fish between two and seven pounds. Length, weight and sex were taken from each fish along with a piece of the operculum (the bony flap covering and protecting the gills, also known as the gill plate). The operculum is cleaned and viewed using a Microfiche reader. While enlarged on the reader biologists look for age rings to determine the exact age of the fish. Tautog are a long lived and slow growing fish with the ability to reach up to 30 years of age.

Here Steve Doctor is pictured with a Tautog collected on the sampling trip.