Scott D. Kirk and Michael J. Maceina, Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquaculture, Auburn University, AL 36849

Abstract. Tag-shedding and mortality rates of internally anchor tagged crappie, Pomoxis nigromaculatus and P. annularis, were determined for crappie over a ten-week period in two 0.10-ha ponds. One hundred crappie (229 mm - 356 mm) were implanted with internal anchor tags type Floy-89SL and given a pelvic fin clip. An additional 100 crappie (229 mm - 363 mm) served as control fish. In each pond fifty tagged and fifty control fish were stocked. The overall survival rate was 83% for tagged crappie and was slightly lower (P<0.10) than the 91% for control crappie. The overall tag shedding rate was 2.4%. At termination, body condition indices (K) were similar between tagged and control fish. Length-frequency analysis indicated no significant size dependent mortality between both tagged and control crappie. Internal anchor tags may produce more accurate tag returns than traditional Floy FD-68B T-bar anchor tags due to lower tag shedding rates. In conjunction with a Crappiethon, we found that the shedding rate of Floy FD-68B T-bar anchor tags was 19% over a nine-week period. Although internally anchor tagged crappie suffer slight induced tag mortality, low tag shedding rates make internal anchor tags a viable crappie tagging technique.