Workshop on mark-identification tagging (WKTAG)

The Workshop on Mark-Identification Tagging (WKTAG) provided a platform for experts from across and beyond the ICES areas to share knowledge in an effort to improve coordination and collaboration of tagging work and data. The group focussed on presenting institutional tagging data, reviewing guidelines and protocols with respect to best practice in animal welfare and data management, identified gaps in knowledge and how tagging data could be better coordinated and implemented in stock assessments within ICES.

With attendees spanning 15 countries and 28 organisations, WKTAG highlighted the clear appetite within the expert community for sharing data and knowledge and learning more about how these data can enhance stock assessments. Expertise spanned scientific research and citizen science projects, conventional-, external satellite and archival- and internal acoustic tagging.

WKTAG will work to establish links with an existing database platform through which conventional and electronic tagging data, metadata and/or raw data can be hosted. WKTAG experts will work with ICES to develop a webpage collating outputs of the workshop, related past and future training courses, and a link to the external data platform once established. A communication channel has been setup to facilitate better, and continued knowledge sharing in this field and explore future options for continuing collaborative efforts such as hosing conference theme sessions, publishing papers and holding future workshops.