Tautog Tagging Program

New York State Commercial Tautog Tagging Information

For New York State Food Fish License holders who plan to commercially harvest tautog.

The commercial tautog fishing season runs April 16 through January 25. All commercially harvested tautog must be tagged in order to be sold or offered for sale. Tautog harvesters must comply with all the tagging requirements as specified in NYCRR subdivision 40.1(o). These requirements are in addition to the commercial seasons, size limits, and trip limits for commercially harvesting tautog in New York State.

Tag Program Basics:

1. Tags Cost: 30 cents per tag and can be paid with cash (paid in person at DEC Marine Resources Headquarters only), or by check or money order made to DEC Marine Permit Office.
2. Maximum Order Size: This is the maximum amount of tags a license holder can request in a single tag order. This number is calculated every year and is the highest historical number of tautog reported landed in one calendar year by the license holder during any of the previous 3 calendar years. If a license holder has no history of landing tautog in the previous 3 calendar years they are only eligible to submit 1 tag order request per business week, for a maximum of 50 tags per order.
3. Minimum Order Size: 25 tags
4. Additional Orders: Once the license holder has reported using 80% of the tags from their previous order, they can submit another order request. If a license holder is accounting for all of their tag usage, there is no limit on the number of orders a license holder can make within any given tautog season.
5. Tag Order Requests: Fill out the Tautog Tag Order Form Request (PDF) that can be submitted by mail, email, fax or in person. All addresses and associated phone numbers are located on the form. These requests can take up to 5 business days to process.
6. Once the Tags are Received: License holders must complete and return an Acknowledgement Form once they receive their tags. License holders will be responsible for lost, stolen, duplicate tags, and serial numbers in their possession that were not assigned to them.
7. Applying Tags: Tags must be applied to commercially harvested tautog prior to any commercially harvested species from that trip being offloaded or transferred to shore, to another vessel, to an in-water storage unit, or to any pier, wharf, dock, or similar structure. Tautog kept for consumption receive tags. Tags should be applied to one of the tautog's gill plates with the tag information visible on the outside of the fish.

Tag Reporting and Accounting Requirements:

1. License holders must submit complete and accurate tag and vessel trip reports. Final reports for the tagging season are due by February 15, 2025.
2. Reporting Tag Usage: In addition to the reporting requirements specified in NYCRR subdivision 40.1(c), license holders must report both pounds, count, and the tag serial numbers used for all commercially harvested tautog landed in New York State. Each fisherman is responsible for reporting their own tag use with their own signature. Please refer to the attached document Tautog Tagging Instructions (PDF), also posted on our website for full reporting instructions:
3. Broken, Damaged, or Unused Tags: All tags that are broken, damaged, or unused must be returned to the Department with a Tautog Tag Return Form (PDF) by February 15, 2025. Any tags that have been issued to a license holder that are not reported as used on a trip report, or returned to the department, will be considered "lost" and the license holder will not receive accounting credit for those tags.
4. Lost or Stolen Tags: Any license holder who loses tags must report the loss to the department on their fishing reports, or through a Tautog Tag Loss Form (PDF) form provided by the department, within 24 hours.
5. Excessive tag loss: If a license holder is unable to account for more than 20% of the tags issued to them due to a one-time loss, they may submit an excessive loss application for the opportunity to receive one additional tag order during that tagging season.

License holders who fail to comply with program requirements may not be eligible to receive tautog tags for the following tagging season.

Additional Program Details:

Tag applicators can be purchased from the National Band and Tag Company please use National Band and Tag Company Applicator Form (PDF) to order applicators.

Live Storage: If a license holder wants to possess commercially harvested tautog in storage in the waters of the marine and coastal district over the commercial possession limit, they must complete and submit trip reports for all live stored tautog to the department within 24 hours of landing. License holders who wish to live store tautog are highly encouraged to submit their records for these trips online through eTrips to meet the 24 hour trip report submission requirement. Copies of these reports must be retained for inspection onboard their vessel during the tagging season.

Tag Usage and Possession: It is unlawful to reuse or alter any tautog tag. Tags are non-transferable, and it is unlawful for any person to possess tautog tags issued to another license holder.

• For questions about reporting, order requests, or to get more forms contact the Data Management Unit at [email protected] or (631) 444-0857.