A04_-_Fish_Marker_Standards_11-7-2024_1.docx

Fish Marker Standards

November 2024

Punctuality, Timeliness & Breaks

Each project is constrained by time and fiscal limitations and each project is expected to be completed within those limits, therefore it is of the upmost importance that markers are reliable and punctual. Fish markers are expected to arrive at the job location and promptly begin working at the communicated start time each day. Fish markers are also expected to adhere to the standard break and lunch times and should not be wandering around the job site smoking, talking on cell phones, entertaining visitors, or fraternizing with other fish markers or job site employees outside of the scheduled break times. Any fish marker that exhibits unexcused and/or excessive tardiness shall be reported to the contractor and that fish marker must be replaced by the contractor within one working day.

Footwear

Fish markers, fish marker assistants, trailer assistants, and automated trailer technicians work with sharp instruments (surgical scissors and needles) and marking projects typically take place at hatcheries or places where often there are tripping and falling object hazards. Markers should wear closed toe footwear to help prevent injury from scissors, needles, and miscellaneous objects that fall at or around the feet and tripping hazards. Flip flops, sandals, footwear with openings on top (e.g. Crocs) or bare feet are not acceptable. Waterproof work boots or rubber boots are recommended, but any closed toe boot or shoe is acceptable.

Training and Techniques

It is the contractor’s responsibility to communicate all directions to the fish markers. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service will demonstrate fish marking techniques to each marker. This will be done before marking begins and during marking operation, as necessary, depending on the experience level of the individual fish markers. The fish markers will be required to always follow these techniques. Evaluation of marking technique will include, but not be limited to the fish markers physical handling of fish, coded-wire tag placement, high reject rate of fish not tagged, poor fin clipping technique, and overall initial tag retention. Fish markers will also be required to wipe down and clean their workstation at the end of each shift.

Tag Retention and Mark Quality

The contractor is expected to provide fish markers capable of maintaining a high degree of proficiency and quality in terms of tag retention and mark quality. A high reject rate (untagged fish) is defined as a 2% rejection rate of fish at any station for any given time, for an individual marker, that is not due to machine malfunction. If any individual fish marker is identified with a high reject rate, or any other technique problem, and attempts have been made to correct the problem through additional instruction, the Service will identify the fish marker to the contractor and the fish marker must be replaced by the contractor within one working day.

Definition of Fish Mark

A mark as defined for this Solicitation will mean one of these four methods:

1. ADCWT: Remove adipose fin (adipose clip) with scissors and inject a coded wire tag into the snout of the fish with a coded wire tagging machine.

2. Double Fin Clip & CWT: Remove adipose fin (adipose clip) and one other fin (ventral clip) or (maxillary clip) with scissors and inject a coded wire tag into the snout of the fish with a coded wire tagging machine.

3. CWT only: Inject a coded wire tag into the snout of the fish with a coded wire tagging machine.

4. Fin Clip only: Remove one or more fins with scissors.

Standards Required of Fish Markers

The following are the minimum acceptable standards required of the Fish Marker under this contract:

1. Markers must completely remove the adipose fin without injury to the fish.

2. Markers must use the standard technique when injecting the coded wire tags and maintain an average immediate tag retention rate of 98%.

3. Markers must properly use anesthetic so as not to endanger the health and wellbeing of the fish to be marked.

4. Markers must handle each fish in such a manner as to avoid internal or external injury to the fish.

5. The Contractor must replace any fish marker identified by the Service found to be unwilling or unable to fulfill any or all the above standards.

6. Markers will be required to mark a minimum number of fish based on size as listed below on the minimum daily marking rate chart. If daily minimum number is reached before the end of the daily work period, marking will continue until the end of the workday (3:30 pm).

MINIMUM REQUIRED DAILY MARKING RATE CHART

Adipose Clip and Coded Wire Tags

Double Fin Clip and Coded Wire Tags

401-600 1,200

Coded Wire Tags Only

Fin Clip Only