Carleton University’s Steve Cooke, Canada Research Chair in the Department of Biology, is part of a group of experts investigating the explosion in aquatic animal tracking research over the last 30 years and its impact on discoveries about the movements, migrations, interactions and survival of aquatic species. The Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) brought the team together to develop a report, released June 11, 2015.

Steve Cooke sitting by fishing gear“Carleton’s Cooke Lab is a world leader in aquatic animal tracking,” said Cooke. “The tools evaluated in the report are the same tools that my team uses on a day-to-day basis so being able to summarize how they contribute to science and, specifically, aquatic conservation, shows our depth of understanding when it comes to these cutting-edge tools.“

The review describes more than 20 scientific breakthroughs in global ocean observation science achieved through advancements in acoustic and satellite tracking via electronic tags placed on organisms ranging from tiny neonate fish to large whales, which transmit data to receiver stations or orbiting satellites.

“We use various electronic tags that can be put in or on aquatic animals to track them 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Cooke. “We can pinpoint where these animals are at all times, whether they are in fresh water rivers or the oceans. All of this information helps us to better understand and conserve aquatic life.“

Electronic tags can now weigh less than a penny, transmit for more than 10 years, and attached to almost any species at any life stage, to collect high-resolution data in four dimensions (2D-horizontal, depth and time).

Data have revealed the often-mysterious migrations of endangered marine animals like leatherback turtles, basking sharks, European eels and Pacific bluefin tuna. These discoveries, and the increasingly sophisticated technology behind them, generate critical knowledge towards conservation recommendations. Tracking studies also pinpoint successes and limitations of current management plans. For example, acoustically tagged reef fish were shown to regularly move outside their Marine Protected Area, putting them at risk.

Acoustic and satellite studies are being combined with other biological measurements like genetic analysis and physiological status. These data help determine drivers behind animal behaviour to forecast how pollution and climate changes will affect species and populations.

Aquatic animal movements and migrations transcend geopolitical, economic and management boundaries. Studies in the last decade have documented movement to regions unreachable by humans and into some of the harshest parts of oceans, providing the groundwork for next-generation aquatic governance frameworks.

About the Ocean Tracking Network

Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) is a $168-million research and technology development platform headquartered at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Starting in 2008, OTN began deploying Canadian state-of-the-art acoustic receivers and oceanographic monitoring equipment in key ocean locations. These are being used to document the movements and survival of marine animals carrying acoustic tags and to document how both are influenced by oceanographic conditions.

OTN is funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, with additional support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Trust.

The review can be found in Science Magazine: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/348/6240/1255642.abstract

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