Acoustic Telemetry Efforts and The Atlantic Cooperative Telemetry Network: Matthew Breece Delaware State University University of Delaware

Atlantic Cooperative Telemetry Network Loose network of researchers East coast - Florida – Maine Organic/ground-up approach Means to connect researchers and facilitate data exchange Houses a list of acoustic transmitter codes and associated researchers Members upload “orphan codes” Owners of orphan codes can then contact researchers that detected their codes to share data

Atlantic Cooperative Telemetry Network Developed with sturgeon as a model Once finalized opened up for other species Members surveyed to determine existing assets 97% of researchers are using VEMCO equipment ACT currently funded through June 2014 NOAA NMFS Office of Protected resources

Deployed Transmitters Year Researchers Number spp. Tags Deployed 2005 12 539 2006 15 528 2007 25 645 2008 Addition of FACT 31 652 2009 33 942 2010 63 40 1077 2011 69 44 1042 Expired 1606 Currently 4724 These numbers are based on the transmitter release date.

Receiver Arrays

Receiver Arrays

Lessons Learned Majority of acoustic arrays are located in rivers, estuaries and nearshore coastal environments Strategic placement of assets needed Receivers Listening platforms Tags Tagged fish have effects outside projects scope of work Striped bass on Atlantic sturgeon spawning grounds

Concerns Arrays are maintained on a project specifics basis Lack of stable funding to support existing assets Continued deployment Maintenance/downloading Duplicated tag codes do exist and are difficult to identify LOTEK transmitter in Atlantic sturgeon duplicated VEMCO transmitter in a striped bass

Delaware State University Point of Contact Lori Brown Delaware State University East.coast.telemetry@gmail.com