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Rio Negro Peacock Bass Tagging Project
By Larry Larsen Phil Marsteller and his Rio Negro Foundation are collaborating with researchers from the National Institute of Amazon
Research (INPA) and Auburn University in a multi-year study of peacock bass in the Upper Rio Negro, Brazil. This study, called "Project Tucunare", is led by Dr. Bruce Forsberg of INPA and is designed to provide a
scientific basis for sustainable management of the peacock bass sport fisheries in that area.
 "The study has four main objectives; to investigate the
natural dynamics and ecology of peacock bass populations; evaluate the effects of sport and commercial fisheries on these dynamics; determine maximum sustainable fishing pressure for the sport
fishing and commercial fishing industries for peacock bass; and finally, to determine the optimum size and characteristics of sports fishing reserves for peacock bass in the Basin," explains RN Foundation fishery
biologist and Chris Aadland. "This project includes a large mark and recapture study using Floy tags to tag the three species of peacock bass found in the upper Rio Negro Basin."
"Using sports fishermen from the Rio Negro Lodge along with staff from the Rio Negro Foundation and INPA, peacock bass are captured, weighed, measured, tagged and released and the location
noted with a GPS coordinate," explains Chris. "Tag number, length, weight, and locality information are collected each time the tagged fish is recaptured. This information will allow researchers the ability to
determine migration patterns, and growth rates of peacock bass in the area." The second part of the tagging study led by Michael Maceina of Auburn University, involves using radio
tags to monitor peacock bass movement patterns throughout the year. The main objective of this study is to determine habitat association during the dry and rainy seasons.
"Two types of radio tags are being deployed, a short term tag which last for approximately 120 days, and a long term tag which lasts for more than a year," continues Chris. "These tags will allow us to
monitor both long-term and short-term movement patterns of these fish. Yet another part of this study involves collecting otoliths (ear bones) and scale samples to determine age/growth patterns,
stomachs to learn about food preferences, and tissue samples for DNA analysis to study population structure." In addition, fisheries statistics are being gathered from both recreational and commercial fishing
operations in order to determine the impacts on the peacock bass populations in the area, according to Chris. It is hoped that data collected and analyzed from this project will provide much needed
information to the local and national Brazilian governmental agencies responsible for the preservation and sustainable development of the peacock bass fisheries in the upper Rio Negro Basin. For more
information about the project, contact Chris at The Rio Negro Foundation, 751 Canyon Dr., Suite 110, Coppell, TX 75019 or email him at chris@peacockbassfishing.com. For more information on
peacock bass, check out www.peacockbassassociation.com or visit our book store
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