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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. Receiver Arrays

6. Receiver Arrays

7. 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

8. 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

9. Delaware State University
Point of Contact
Lori Brown
Delaware State University