Research and Development Office

Development of a Floating Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) Tag Antenna Interrogation System

Project ID: 257
Principal Investigator: Mark McKinstry
Research Topic: Ecosystem Needs
Funded Fiscal Years: 2010
Keywords: None

Project Abstract

DEVELOPMENT OF A FLOATING PIT TAG ANTENNA DETECTION SYSTEM

Mark McKinstry, Bureau of Reclamation, 125 South State Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84138; mmckinstry@usbr.gov; (801) 524-3835

Peter Mackinnon, Fish Ecology Lab, Department of Watershed Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, Utah; peter.mackinnon@usu.edu; (435) 770-6959

Detection systems for PIT-tagged fish (Passive Integrated Transponder) in the Pacific Northwest are well established and work effectively with anadromous species, providing information on fish passage rates, movement patterns, survival, and return rates. In the Colorado River Basin most species do not have predictable movement patterns and must be detected by electrofishing, netting, or physical handling of fish captured in passage facilities. Some notable exceptions include stationary passive detection systems at the Price-Stubb fish passage facility on the Colorado River in Colorado and the San Rafael River and Stirrup Wetland in Utah. In the San Juan River (SJR) up to 12 electrofishing passes are made each year for nonnative fish removal; PIT-tagged Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) and razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) are also captured during these trips to provide information on movements, growth, survival and population size. Nonnative removal provides the best and largest amount of information on the status of the two endangered fish in the SJR, but is expensive, time consuming, and has an uncertain future. To begin investigating alternative strategies for detecting these fish we developed a mobile floating PIT tag detection system that detects PIT tags as it floats over them. The system consists of three 10-foot antennas connected to a multiplexer, integrated GPS, and data logger. As the antennas float over a tag the system records date, time, location, and unique PIT tag number. During two days of testing on the San Juan River in October we detected 75 tags in 21 miles of river, including almost 25 tags i

Contributing Partners

Contact the Principal Investigator for information about partners.

Research Products

Bureau of Reclamation Review

The following documents were reviewed by experts in fields relating to this project's study and findings. The results were determined to be achieved using valid means.

Floating PIT Tag Detection System (final, PDF, 99KB)
By Mark McKinstry
Publication completed on September 30, 2010

Now Available: New Antenna System to Detect Tagged Fish (final, PDF, 283KB)
By Mark McKinstry
Publication completed on September 30, 2010

Not Reviewed

The following documents were not reviewed. Statements made in these documents are those of the authors. The findings have not been verified.

Floating PIT-tag Interrogation System for use in rivers (final, PDF, 8.0MB)
By Mark McKinstry
Publication completed on August 17, 2011

Floating PIT tag Antenna powerpoint file (final, PDF, 8.0MB)
By Mark McKinstry
Publication completed on August 17, 2011

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