A. Self-locking ("cinch-up" and cable ties)
Hallprint's small self locking "cinch-up" loop tags are popular with some researchers and aquaculturalists where the following traits are important:
Very high long term tag retention rate; and
Minimal user skill required to achieve effective anchor in fish.
Notwithstanding these positive features, self locking tags are less popular for high volume tagging operations in which the primary objectives may be relatively short term movement patterns.
Hallprint's self locking tag markers, like all of our tag markers, are made from a single moulded construction that can not fall apart under normal use.
The self locking tag is a tag well worth considering for certain species in recreational or aquaculture fish tagging programs, particularly if user skill in tagging fish is not high.
A version of the self-locking tag which has gained in popularity is the standard approx. 100 mm x 2.5 mm (type SLS) and approx. 200 mm x 2.5 mm (type SLA) cable ties to which are attached our special moulded and outer sheath-protected markers. These are popular for use on macrophytic algae and are also being trialled as a "wrap-around" carapace and claw tag on crabs and as a band tag on marine turtles.
Cable tie tags
CTXL extra long tag with removable label system (as used by SPC for tuna sampling)
B. Wire-on tags
Hallprint's wire-on tags (Type WOT) are a highly versatile loop tag which has been popular on use with some shellfish, crustacea and finfish. Although with shellfish it has been largely superseded by the type FPN glue-on shellfish tags, a variation of it had has recently been used successfully as a wrap-around carapace tag for crabs and as an opercular tag for flatfish. The tag consists of the highest possible grade of stainless steel which lies inside a solid core of inert or "non-migratory" polyethylene with an outer protective sheath that ensures that our superior print legibility lasts forever.
Available in both standard and large diameter wire, we can also vary the length of the tag, the coloured sleeve and the protective sheath to suit your specific needs.
Wire-on tags are most suited to tagging operations where very high rates of tag application are not necessary and morphological features of the fish make more traditional fish tagging techniques less.
