Marine Resources Reseach Center, Aichi Fisheries Reserch Institute, Minamichita, Aichi 470-3412, Japan
In order to examine the distribution and migration of hatchery-reared ocellate puffer, a total of 21,805 fish (mean total length 58.5-207.0 mm) were tagged and released in Ise and Mikawa Bays from July to December during the years 1995 to 1999. A total of 1,464 (6.7%) fish were recaptured from Ise Bay, Mikawa Bay, and Enshu Nada. The mean total length of the tagged ocellate puffer at the time of release was correlated with the recovery rates. In the first year of the tagging experiments, the recapture sites were Ise and Mikawa Bays from July to October; Ise Bay, Mikawa Bay, and Enshu Nada from November to December; and the mouth of Ise Bay and Enshu Nada in the second year. The hatchery-reared ocellate puffer released in the mouth of Ise Bay showed low recovery rates, although the recapture rates and the area of expansion within three months after release were higher and wider here than at the other release points.