AFSC/REFM: Movement of Alaska skates (Bathyraja parmifera) in the Bering Sea , determined through conventional tagging

This dataset contains the results of a tagging study being conducted on the Alaska skate (Bathyraja parmifera) in the eastern Bering Sea. The purpose of the study is to gain a basic understanding of the timing and spatial pattern of movements of Alaska skates in the Bering Sea. The tags used are conventional (i.e. non-electronic) tags that are generally recovered through commercial fishery catches of skates. Skates were tagged aboard the AFSC eastern Bering Sea shelf surveys in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Skates greater than 60 cm total length received a Floy dart tag; skates smaller than 60 cm total length received a Floy T-bar tag. A reward system was implemented to encourage recovery of tags, but as there are no directed fisheries for skates the number of tags recovered is expected to be relatively low. As of December 2015, 41 tags have been recovered out of approximately 3,000 tagged skates. This dataset will be updated on a regular basis as more tags are recovered.