Biomark to purchase fish tags and readers

The Bureau of Reclamation has awarded a $1.69 million contract to Biomark Inc. for the purchase of Passive Implementation Transponder (PIT) tags and readers.

PIT tags contain unique alphanumeric codes that are read when tagged fish are in close proximity to specialized antennae.

The tags and readers will be used in endangered fish recovery program efforts in the San Juan and Upper Colorado river basins. Both programs have been using PIT tags for more than 10 years.

"The Upper Colorado Recovery Implementation Program and the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program are national models of cost-effective, public-private partnerships working together to recover endangered species while water development continues in compliance with federal and state laws," said Reclamation Commissioner John W. Keys III.

Recovery efforts include implanting fish with individual and unique PIT tags for tracking purposes.

As populations of wild native fish are captured during research trips, they also are marked with PIT tags.

"The programs' efforts will help ensure that the humpback chub, bonytail, Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker remain an important part of the modern West," Keys, said.