#electronic tagging

日本

Here we report on the electronic tagging of 772 Atlantic bluefin tuna in the western Atlantic Ocean in an effort to identify population structure. Reporting electronic tags provided accurate location data; that show the extensive migrations of individual fish (n = 330). Geoposition data delineate two populations, one using spawning grounds in the Gulf of Mexico and another from the Mediterranean Sea. Transatlantic movements of western-tagged bluefin tuna reveal site fidelity to known spawning areas in the Mediterranean Sea. Bluefin tuna that occupy western spawning grounds move to central and eastern Atlantic foraging grounds. Our results are consistent with two populations of bluefin tuna with distinct spawning areas that overlap on North Atlantic foraging grounds. Electronic tagging locations, when combined with US pelagic longline observer and logbook catch data, identify hot spots for spawning bluefin tuna in the northern slope waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Restrictions on the time and area where longlining occurs would reduce incidental catch mortalities on western spawning grounds.

Business

UK Capita staff arrested; report says criminals 'bribed tagging workers'

Fourteen people have been arrested in connection with claims that security workers were paid by convicted criminals to deliberately fit electronic tags loosely. Staff at Capita, which is contracted to run the Government's electronic monitoring service (EMS), allegedly received £400 a time to help at least 32 offenders evade court-imposed curfews, according to The Sun. Three current and former EMS workers are among those who have been detained by the Metropolitan Police, and the Ministry of Justice says it is "urgently" investigating the claims. A 46-year-old man who used to work on the EMS contract was arrested in Essex on 3 January on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, as well as the theft of tagging equipment. Two current employees - a 45-year-old man and a 57-year-old woman who were also from Essex - were arrested on 18 January on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Police had become aware that offender monitoring equipment was being used inappropriately.

Metropolitan Police Spokesperson

London's Metropolitan Police said one former EMS employee and two current members of staff were arrested in January for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and had all been bailed. British police said on Saturday they had arrested two staff members and a former employee of an electronic-tagging service for offenders run by Capita after a newspaper said criminals had allegedly paid workers to fit ankle tags too loosely. Capita began a six-year contract to run Britain's Electronic Monitoring Service (EMS) in 2014, a deal the outsourcing firm said should generate about 400 million pounds in revenue. Saturday's edition of The Sun said dozens of criminals were suspected of paying up to 400 pounds to security staff to fit the electronic tracking devices too loosely to their ankles, allowing them to potentially violate the terms of curfew orders.

We have a zero tolerance policy against any of our employees who act in any way to undermine the robustness of the electronic monitoring service.