ACCORDING to the NSW DPI Game Fish Tagging Program, a samsonfish originally tagged and released by well-known South Australian angler Fady Dib on 16 June, 2013, has been recaptured for the third time.
Reportedly, the fish has been caught in the same Marion Bay location and at a similar time of the year. The DPI says, these results tend to support the theory that this area is important for samsonfish and they display a degree of ‘philopatry’, which is when an animal has a tendency to stay in an area or habitually return to the same location.
Recapture information:
The samsonfish was originally tagged by Fady Dib at Marion Bay, SA on 16 June 2013. The fish was measured at 123cm and 18kg.
Recapture One: 1145 days later at Marion Bay by Aaron Komaromi. The fish was measured at 127cm and 20kg.
Recapture Two : 675 days later at Marion Bay by Darren Applebee. The fish was measured at 130cm and 24kg.
Recapture Three: 417 days later at Marion Bay by Luke Donhardt. The fish was measured at 131cm and 26kg.
Overall the fish has spent 2,237 days at liberty. Where and how far the fish has travelled in between these recaptures, however, remains a mystery.
Courtesy of the NSW Game Fish Tagging Program.