The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will hold two workshops this month to train current and prospective taggers in the proper methods of tagging fish.

The workshops are free, and all current and prospective taggers for the division’s Multi Species Tagging Program should plan to attend one of the two workshops:

April 16 at 6 p.m., Dare County Government Office, 954 Marshall C. Collins Dr., Manteo

April 18 at 6 p.m., N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries, Central District Office, 5285 Highway 70 West, Morehead City

Division staff will also provide information on the purpose and expected benefits of the tagging program and highlight results from the previous four years of tagging. The workshop will be broken into two parts: a review of the program objectives and results; and hands-on tagging demonstration and training for all new and current taggers.

Division researchers use fish tagging to study the migration, growth, habitat use and population status of striped bass, red drum, spotted seatrout, southern flounder, and cobia in North Carolina. Fish tagging programs are a vital part of a fishery manager’s tools for assessing fish populations.

For more information, contact Steve Poland, marine fisheries biologist with the division, at Steve.Poland@ncdenr.gov or 252-808-8159.