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AutoFish Clipping and Tagging

Enhancement Hatcheries and AutoFish

Mass marking and tagging Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead reared at enhancement hatcheries is an important tool for managing hatcheries in a scientifically responsible manner. To meet the requirements of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), federal and state mandates, recommendations from independent scientists, and the Hatchery Genetic Management Plans (HGMP), hatchery fish in the Pacific Northwest must have a visible mark or tag that can be used to distinguish them from naturally produced fish as they migrate to the ocean, and as adults in fisheries, at hatcheries, and on the spawning grounds. In the Pacific Northwest of the United States, excising the adipose fin has been selected as the visible mark.

The AutoFish System was developed as an alternative to manual clipping and tagging to help government agencies meet their ambitious marking and tagging goals. The AutoFish SCT6 (sort, clip, tag, six processing lines) is a self-contained mobile unit that has one dual exit sorter and six individual processing lines. This complete system can sort, clip, and tag salmonids from 57 mm to 142 mm without the use of anesthetic and with no human handling.

	The SCT6 is designed for large-scale salmon, steelhead and trout tagging and marking programs. It is housed in a 44-foot all aluminum 5th wheel trailer. The SCT6 is economical and efficient to run and reduces fish stress because there is no human handling, no anesthetic and the fish are never completely dewatered during the process.
	This highly efficient and mobile system has demonstrated low mortality (<0.1%), very high clip rates (>99%), and excellent CWT retention rates (>98%).

Specifications:

• Adipose clip and snout tag or adipose clip only or snout tag only salmonids ranging from 57 mm to 142 mm total length.

• Over 60,000 fish processed in eight hours with one skilled operator and an assistant.

• Accurate sorting to within 1 mm of total length.

• No anesthetic required.

• Fin clipping rates and CWT placement accuracy superior to that achievable by manual operations.

• Less costly to operate than manual clipping and tagging systems.

Download

• AutoFish SCT Operators Manual (PDF 1,549 K)

Northwest Marine Technology, Inc.                   (360) 468 - 3375

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Last edited: 04 Feb 2008