Envisioning the future of aquatic animal tracking: Technology, science, and application

Electronic tags are significantly improving our understanding of aquatic animal behavior and are emerging as key sources of information for conservation and management practices. Future aquatic integrative biology and ecology studies will increasingly rely on data from electronic tagging. Continued advances in tracking hardware and software are needed to provide the knowledge required by managers and policymakers to address the challenges posed by the world's changing aquatic ecosystems. We foresee multiplatform tracking systems for simultaneously monitoring the position, activity, and physiology of animals and the environment through which they are moving. Improved data collection will be accompanied by greater data accessibility and analytical tools for processing data, enabled by new infrastructure and cyberinfrastructure. To operationalize advances and facilitate integration into policy, there must be parallel developments in the accessibility of education and training, as well as solutions to key governance and legal issues

Philopatry and regional connectivity of the great hammerhead shark, Sphyrna mokarran in the U.S. and Bahamas

A thorough understanding of movement patterns of a species is critical for designing effective conservation and management initiatives. However, generating such information for large marine vertebrates is challenging, as they typically move over long distances, live in concealing environments, are logistically difficult to capture and, as upper-trophic predators, are naturally low in abundance. Large-bodied, broadly distributed tropical shark typically restricted to coastal and shelf habitats, the great hammerhead shark Sphyrna mokarran epitomizes such challenges. Highly valued for its fins (in target and incidental fisheries), it suffers high bycatch mortality coupled with fecundity conservative life history, and as a result, is vulnerable to over-exploitation and population depletion. Although there are very little species-specific data available, the absence of recent catch records give cause to suspect substantial declines across its range. Here, we used biotelemetry techniques (acoustic and satellite), conventional tagging, laser-photogrammetry, and photo-identification to investigate the level of site fidelity/residency for great hammerheads to coastal areas in the Bahamas and U.S., and the extent of movements and connectivity of great hammerheads between the U.S. and Bahamas. Results revealed large-scale return migrations (3030 km), seasonal residency to local areas (some for 5 months), site fidelity (annual return to Bimini and Jupiter for many individuals) and numerous international movements. These findings enhance the understanding of movement ecology in great hammerhead sharks and have potential to contribute to improved cons

Van vergankelijke radicale dissidenten tot kwelgeesten van de gevestigde orde. Nieuwe politieke partijen in Nederland en de toekomst van de representative democratie

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A review of detection range testing in aquatic passive acoustic telemetry studies

Passive acoustic telemetry provides an important tool to study the spatial ecology and behaviour of organisms in marine and freshwater systems, but understanding the detection range of acoustic receivers is critical for interpreting acoustic data and establishing receiver spacing to maximize study efficiency. This study presents a comprehensive review of how acoustic detection range has been considered and assessed to date, summarizes important variables to monitor when determining the detection range of a receiver array, and provides recommendations to account for detection range during experimental design, analysis and data interpretation. A total of 378 passive acoustic telemetry studies (1986-2012) were scored against a set of pre-defined criteria to provide a standardized assessment of how well detection range was accounted for, from a maximum possible score of 45. Scores ranged from 0 to 39 (11.1 +/- A 0.4; mean +/- A 1 SE). Over the past decade mean scores have been consistently between 6.7 and 12.9 which indicates that detection range has not been adequately considered in most contemporary acoustic telemetry studies. Given the highly variable nature of detection range over space and time, it is necessary to create a culture of detection range testing among the scientific community. For robust telemetry studies it is recommended that consideration of detection range should be given a greater focus within study design, execution and data analysis. To aid array design in new systems, short-term detection range tests should be conducted in the most representative area of the study system prior to deployment. As well, fixed distance sentinel tags should ideally be deployed at a representative receiver site within the array to provide a continuous assessment of detection range and influential environmental parameters should be monitored to facilitate modeling of detection range variability over time. When warranted, data analysis should incorporate modeled variation in detection ranges

Biotelemetry informing management: Case studies exploring successful integration of biotelemetry data into fisheries and habitat management

Biotelemetry data have been successfully incorporated into aspects of fishery and fish habitat management; however, the processes of knowledge mobilization are rarely published in peer-reviewed literature but are valuable and of interest to conservation scientists. Here, we explore case examples from the Ocean Tracking Network (OTN), including Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) in British Columbia, Canada; Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) in Cumberland Sound, Canada; and lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) in Florida, USA, to document key processes for science integration. Typical recommendations documented in the literature (e.g., co-production of knowledge, transdisciplinary methodologies, applied research questions) were recorded to have had successful fisheries management integration, although we documented some exceptions. In each case, it was early, active, and ongoing communication outside of traditional science communication and the visual evidence of fish movement that were critical in engaging all parties with a vested interest. Networks offer forums for knowledge sharing on lessons learned and development of skills to engage in active communication. Greater investments and attention to develop these skills are needed to foster positive and active relationships that can impart real change in management and conservation