📋 Tender Overview
Strategic Infrastructure For Improved Animal Tracking In European Seas
Keeping Track Of Marine Animalsanimal Tracking Is The Only Way To Study Animal Movements Across Space (Local, Regional, Continental And Global) And Time (From Minutes To Decades). While This Is Not A New Field Of Research, Advances In Technology Have Enabled The Tracking Of Marine Animals Across Larger And Longer Scales. In This Context, The Eu-Funded Straits Project Will Leverage Ongoing Acoustic Tracking Projects Across Europe (The North Channel, Danish Straits, Straits Of Gibraltar And Bosporus/Dardanelles). Specifically, Straits Will Make It Easier To Coordinate Aquatic Animal Tracking And Will Provide Scientists With A Deeper Understanding Of The Movements And Migrations Of A Number Of Marine Animals. The Findings Will Be Used To Make Progress On International Marine Management And Planning.
Funded Under
Research Infrastructures
Total Cost
€ 3 285 945,00
Eu Contribution
€ 3 285 944,50
Coordinated By
The Foyle, Carlingford And Irish Lights Commission
Ireland
Start Date
1 January 2023
End Date
31 December 2026
Objective
In order to protect and manage marine species and habitats, there is an immediate need for the creation of robust evidence-based methods and integrated platforms. Therefore, there is a need to undertake marine research projects that are developed and implemented collaboratively, strategically, and at a sufficient scale. Animal tracking is the study of animal movements across various spatiotemporal scales (local, regional, continental, global; minutes to decades). Although animal tracking is not a new field of research, only recently have these electronic technologies necessary to follow marine animal movements across larger and longer scales have only recently become widely available. Strategic Infrastructure for improved animal Tracking in European Seas (STRAITS) will leverage ongoing acoustic tracking projects across the four corners of Europe (i.e. North Channel, Danish Straits, Straits of Gibraltar and the Bosporus/Dardanelles) by expanding efforts to connect initiatives on species-based biodiversity management while developing data management plans and networking channels to deliver data to national and international governing bodies. Coordinating aquatic animal tracking and environmental observation efforts at a scale that will be usable to make progress on international marine management and planning, is a major step towards an operational European Tracking Network (ETN) that contributes to major European biodiversity initiatives, conservation, and policy.
