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Capt. Mark Bennett

I first heard of the Tarpon Genetic DNA tagging program this past March '09. I was browsing the Florida Wildlife Research Institute's website. I was interested in the findings of the past and thought I could help out by tagging a lot of fish that upcoming season. What really got my attention was they were keeping track of how many samples each guide/fisherman obtained. This was a way to FINALLY show who caught the most tarpon over an entire season. Some of the best tarpon guides from all over the state are already involved. Any and all naysayers are invited to participate. What a concept!

Here are the 2009 results: FWRI/FWC website

How do you get a DNA Sample from a tarpon?

Essentially, when a tarpon is boat side, I grab the leader in one hand and the fish by the lower jaw. Then I rub a piece of scotch-brite pad on the side of his upper jaw. Then the pad is placed into a small vial that is index numbered by the FWRI. Lastly, I record all of the pertinent information about the fish size, weight, capture location etc.

That is a little easier said than done. First and foremost a photo for my client with his or her fish is my number one priority. Secondly, holding onto a less than happy fish with your hands that weighs over 100 pounds is not that easy to begin with. Then adding scrubbing his face with a scotch-brite pad. It tends to make them a bit perturbed to say the least. During the course of the season if I got samples off of 50% of the tarpon we landed I felt good about it.

I would like to encourage all tarpon anglers, recreational and professional guides alike, to participate in this program. It is fun friendly competition and benefits the tarpon fishery.

This program gives the recreational anglers a chance to see how their numbers stack up against the pros and it gives the pros a chance to put their money where their mouth is.

They have already proven they can talk the talk, let's see who can walk the walk.

Tarpon Challenge

Written by Capt. Ron Presley | 06 April 2009

Florida Guides Association Guide Offers Tarpon Challenge

A Friendly Tarpon Challenge Issued

A featured speaker at the annual Florida Guides Association meeting was FWC Scientist Kathy Guindon. Kathy described the Tarpon Genetics program and asked for the guides to support the effort of collecting DNA samples. A lot of FGA guides already participate in the program but they need more.

Last week after a meeting with Kathy, FGA West Coast VP, Capt. Dave Markett proclaimed, "Ain't No Way any other working guide is gonna' out tag me this May and June ." He went on to say, "In fact, I'll throw down the gauntlet and say I'll beat em' all in May and June - if I don't then I'll deliver a bottle of the winner's favorite spirits to that winner personally. You can quote me on that."

Well folks, that sounds like a challenge to me. I have some friends who are really good tarpon anglers and they don't all live on the West Coast. Kathy needs samples from all over the state and I think she's gonna' get em' because this challenge cannot go unanswered.

Remember, size doesn't matter with this Tarpon research. If you catch a tarpon take the sample and send it in. Use the contact information below to obtain your easy to use jaw scrape sample kits.

DNA is the fish tag of the future. Using forensic science and DNA fingerprinting techniques on DNA samples you provide from any tarpon you catch can provide a "tag" to uniquely identify an individual tarpon. The technique is less invasive to the fish. It is less costly to tag tarpon using this jaw scrape technique than conventional tags that can break, foul, or fall out of the fish and the FWC-Fish and Wildlife Research Institute has the ability to process the genetic material in house (St. Petersburg). Finally, DNA is a tag that lasts forever.

To volunteer for this tarpon research program and accept the challenge from Capt. Markett call toll free at 1-800- 367-4461 or email TarponGenetics@MyFWC.com - and request your free DNA sampling kit and instructions.

Capt. Dave Markett’s Tarpon Challenge Ends and a NEW CHALLENGE begins!

The numbers are in and it is official!

Capt. Dave Markett of the Florida Guide Association presented a challenge that he would not be out-sampled in May / June 2009 and so be it. Capt. Dave returned a whopping, most impressive, total of 37 official tarpon DNA samples. But…

… on July 16^th…one day before the deadline…

…a UPS overnight delivery arrived from Charlotte Harbor and Capt. Mark Bennett – a newcomer to the Tarpon Genetic Recapture Study in 2009 – mailed in a box with “an astonishing 60 tarpon samples” from May and June. The quote comes from Michelle Davis, our genetics technician, who did the official counting and verifications of samples taken with full capture information. Capt. Dave, it’s true, there were 60.

So, Capt. Dave, I am afraid you owe Capt. Mark Bennett a bottle of his favorite spirits. And, Capt. Dave, a huge thank you!!!!!! Why? Because people who had never taken samples in the past, helped this year because of the challenge, and many sampled more of the tarpon they landed than ever before. THANK YOU ALL!

Top 10 from the May/June Tarpon Challenge:

Capt. Mark Bennett-60 Capt. Dave Markett-37 Jeff Owens-33 Capt. Jeff Hagaman-26 Capt. Tom Stephens Jr.-21

John Gargan-20 Tommy Ziesmann-18 John Manuel-17 Carl Ball-15 Clark Nash-15

Tarpon anglers, do not despair. A NEW CHALLENGE has been put forth from a Florida artist to keep the tarpon momentum moving forward.

“I challenge you as anglers to help preserve our fisheries by participating in this program. The angler who brings in the most samples will receive a 'Silver King' print," says artist Richard Powers.

Mr. Powers will present a wonderful, signed and framed leaping tarpon 18” x 24” print to the person who samples and returns the most tarpon DNA during July and August 2009. This challenge is for anyone sampling tarpon, anywhere, any size! All DNA scrapes must be returned by Sept. 18^th to qualify for this challenge.

If you do not have a super competitive spirit, that is OK!!! We have some GREAT incentives in place for our end-of-year raffle which is eligible to anyone who submits a single sample during 2009. It could be you, so please remember to return your tarpon DNA samples to FWC-FWRI, Attn: Tarpon Genetics, 100 8^th Ave. SE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 or drop them off at one of our 153 statewide sample collection locations.

Thanks for your continued support and willingness to be part of this study! For those who have not heard….we have 23 recaptures so far. Keep the samples rolling in so we can have the 2009 totals ready by the end of the year.

Sincerely,

The Tarpon Genetics Team

Here are the top 5 samplers for Florida in July/August.

		Total	July	August
Mark	Bennett	63	30	33
Jon	Mallory	44	34	10
Lee	Roberts	35	14	21
Roy	Bennett	19	9	10
Tom	Karrow	18	18	0

Thanks,

Kathy Guindon
Assistant Research Scientist
FWC - Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
100 8th Ave. SE
St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Can you imagine catching nearly 150 tarpon in nine months? (Actually 5 months)

November 30, 4:26 PM

Florida East Coast Fishing Examiner

Capt. Ron Presley

One tarpon angler in Florida has not only caught and released nearly 150 tarpon, he also tagged them using DNA sampling techniques. Samples are collected by recreational anglers and processed by the folks at FWRI.

The numbers reported below report the top ten anglers who turned in samples between January 1, 2009 and October 31, 2009.

The Tarpon Genetic Recapture Study gives anglers the opportunity to make a direct impact on state-of-the-art research. Anglers statewide can collect a DNA sample by removing a few skin cells from the outside of a tarpon’s jawbone using an abrasive pad provided in a free sampling kit. The tarpon can be any size.

The new tarpon DNA sampling kits are easy to use, especially because the fish can remain in the water while the angler collects the sample. Participants can obtain a free tarpon DNA sampling kit and instructions by calling 1-800-367-4461 or e-mailing
TarponGenetics@MyFWC.com.

Top Ten 2009 Tarpon DNA Samplers for Florida are:

Capt. Mark Bennett 147
Jon Mallory 136
Capt. Ed Walker 119
Capt. Robert McCue 86
John Manuel 70
Raymond Baird 63
Roy Bennett 56
Lee Roberts 50
Jeff Owens 49
Capt. Dave Markett 37

If you are thinking about Tarpon fishing in Boca Grande far away from the pass and crowds,

call or email for a free copy of my DVD

"Tarpon Fishing in Boca Grande" and we will get one right out to you.

For Information and reservations:

Capt. Mark Bennett

(800) 467-0919 or (941) 474-8900

Faster page loading for dial-up customers click here

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