FIELD NAME

CONTENT

MAND./OPT.

FILE TITLE

xxxYYDDD.zzz

Mandatory

This required format is auto-generated by P3 and consists of a valid tagging data coordinator‘s ID (initials) and the day-of-year (YYDDD). The contents of the extension (zzz) are required but left to the discretion of the tagging supervisor.  However, as all data files submitted to PTAGIS must have unique titles, it is imperative that the filename/extension combination not conflict with any other PIT tag data file generated within the Columbia Basin.

TAG DATE

MM/DD/YY hh:mm

Mandatory

This field records the date the tag data was collected. The value is generated by the software, and defaults to the current computer date and time. This value can be modified in P3.EXE.  When the Tag Data File contains records of PIT tag releases or recaptures/mortalities collected over multiple days then, by convention, the Tag Date field should contain the first day of sampling effort, the Release Date field (see below) should reference the last day of sampling effort, the actual dates of PIT tag release/recovery should be denoted using Variable Release Times (see below), and the procedure should be documented in a session Note (see below) preceding the first Tag Detail record (see below).

TAGGER

LASTNAME I

Mandatory

This field records the tagging supervisor or primary tagger's last name, a space, and the tagger‘s first initial, to a maximum of 15 characters.

HATCHERY SITE

Valid Hatchery Codes

Optional

When fish are obtained from a hatchery, this field contains the four-character abbreviation from the domain of hatchery codes.

STOCK

Text

Optional

This field contains a description of the genetic or geographic stock of fish, to a maximum of 15 characters.

BROOD YR

Nn

Optional

This field contains the last two digits of the calendar year when eggs were deposited or collected, if known.

MIGRATORY YR

Nn

Mandatory

This field contains the last two digits of the earliest possible calendar year when juvenile anadromous fish will out-migrate.  For a recapture/mortality event for resident species, or if anadromous adults are tagged, this value references the current calendar year.

TAG SITE

[Valid Tag Site]

Mandatory

This field contains a code, from the domain of valid MRR Site codes, denoting the site where the fish were marked. When reporting a recapture or mortality event, this code designates the recapture or mortality site.

RACEWAY/TRANSECT

Text

Optional

This field contains an abbreviated description of the sampling location, to a maximum of six characters.

CAPTURE METHOD

[Valid Capture Method]

Mandatory

This field contains a code, from the domain of valid Capture Method codes, denoting the method by which the fish were collected. 

TAGGING TEMP

nn.n

Mandatory

This field contains the temperature (00.0-25.0°C, inclusive) of the tagging water.  A value of 25.0 should be entered if the water temperature is not obtained, or the value varies over the period of time the fish are tagged.

POST TAGGING TEMP

nn.n

Optional

When there is a significant time interval between the marking and release of PIT-tagged fish, this field contains the temperature (00.0-25.0°C, inclusive) of the water in the post-tagging holding facilities (e.g., an outdoor raceway).

RELEASE WATER TEMP

nn.n

Cond. Mand.*

This field contains the temperature (00.0-25.0°C, inclusive) of the water the tagged fish were released into. This field is required when the Tag Data File provides Release Information.  A value of 25.0 should be entered if the water temperature is not obtained, or the value varies over the period of time the fish are released.

TAGGING METHOD

[Valid Tagging Method]

Mandatory

This field contains the four-character code, from the domain of valid Tagging Method codes, denoting the method by which PIT tags were inserted into the fish. If all Tag Detail records in the file refer to the recapture or mortality of fish previously tagged, the value is NONE.

ORGANIZATION

[Valid Organization]

Mandatory

This field contains the code, from the domain of valid Organization codes, denoting the agency or entity responsible for the PIT tag marking or recovery activity.  

COORDINATOR ID

[Valid Coordinator ID]

Mandatory

This field contains the code, from the domain of valid Tag Data Projects and Coordinator ID codes, identifying the individual or tag data project. The person associated with the COORDINATOR ID is responsible for the marking or recovery operation utilizing the PIT tags.  He or she is also responsible for responding to inquiries from other entities regarding those operations. PTAGIS users can request new COORDINATOR ID codes from the Request New Validation Code page on the PTAGIS website.

RELEASE DATE

MM/DD/YY hh:mm

Cond. Mand.*

This field contains the date and time the tagged fish were released, in Pacific Standard Time (PST). During a recapture event, this code designates the re- release date.  This record is required when the Tag Data File provides Release Information.  When the Tag Data File contains records of PIT tag releases or recaptures/mortalities collected over multiple days then, by convention, the Tag Date field (see above) should contain the first day of sampling effort, the Release Date field should reference the last day of sampling effort, the actual dates of PIT tag release/recovery should be denoted using Variable Release Times (see below), and the procedure should be documented in a session Note (see below) preceding the first Tag Detail record (see below).

RELEASE SITE

[Valid Release Site]

Cond. Mand.*

This field contains a code, from the domain of valid MRR Site codes, denoting the site where the fish were released.  When the file contains records detailing mortality or recapture events, this code denotes the mortality site or the re- release site. This field is required when the Tag Data File provides Release Information.

RELEASE RIVER KM

nnn(.nnn)

Cond. Mand.*

This field contains a series of three-digit values, separated by periods, corresponding to the lengths of river segments (in kilometers) between the mouth of the Columbia River and the release site.  The total length of the field cannot exceed 27 characters. This field is required when the Tag Data File provides Release Information.

FIELD NAME

COLUMN #

MAND./OPT.

SEQUENCE NUMBER

1-4

Mandatory

This is a computer-generated value, incremented sequentially, and right-justified, with values between 1 and 9999, inclusive.

TAG CODE

7-20

Mandatory

Left-justified, hexadecimal. Two general formats are permitted. The first consists of a 10- character hexadecimal tag code that is characteristic of 400 kHz PIT tags. The second format consists of a 14- character hex tag code comprised of a three-character hex manufacturer code, a period (ASCII 46dec./ØH2E), and a 10-character hex ID code; this mask is typical of 134.2 kHz ISO-compliant Duplex-B PIT tags. PTAGIS also recognizes a series of 10 periods as a null PITCODE value.

FORKLENGTH

21-28

Optional

Fork length of fish.  Integer, right justified, in millimeters.

WEIGHT

29-38

Optional

Weight of fish.  Floating point numeric, right justified, and precise to a tenth of a gram.

SPECIES

41

Mandatory

Single alpha-numeric code from the domain of valid species codes denoting the species of the fish.

RUN

42

Mandatory

Single alpha-numeric code from the domain of valid run codes denoting the run of the fish.

REARING TYPE

43

Mandatory

Single alpha-numeric code from the domain of valid rear type codes denoting the rearing type of the fish.

RELEASE TIME VARIABLE

44-45

Optional

Two digits. These values allow users to specify multiple release times for Tag Detail records in a single file. Valid values are 00-99, inclusive.  Each unique Release Time Variable used must have a corresponding Release Time Variable Definition that reports the actual date and time of release.  (See Variable Release Time Declaration Records below.)

ADDITIONAL POSITIONAL

Variable

Optional

Up to 45 columns of Additional Positional Comments, for use by individual research projects, may appear after column 45. These Additional Positional Comments are not recorded into the PTAGIS database.

CONDITIONAL COMMENTS

Variable

Optional*

Conditional Comments from the domain of valid flag codes are used to systematically catalog a variety of morphological, environmental, and logical factors associated with a specific tagged fish.  Conditional Comments, if present, appear after any Additional Positional Comments and are preceded by a single vertical bar symbol ("|", ASCII 124dec./ØH7C). Individual Conditional Comments are delimited with a single space. 

TEXTUAL COMMENTS

variable

Optional

Textual Comments are separated from Conditional Comments by a single vertical bar symbol.  If no Conditional Comments are present, Textual Comments are preceded by two vertical bar symbols "||". This field can hold up to 50 alphanumeric characters, including ASCII punctuation.  While the contents of this field are unregulated, by convention Textual Comments are intended as ad hoc annotations unique to individual tag detail records rather than a common descriptor duplicated in all detail records.