Global marine and freshwater animal tracking and oceanographic monitoring, technology development, data and networking platform.
The Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) works with local and international industry and research partners from polar to tropical zones in oceanographic monitoring, animal tracking, autonomous underwater vehicle operation, data management and marine technology development. OTN has a global infrastructure and supporting logistics.
Strong partnerships with leading national and international researchers enable collaborative research, training, and technology development in the aquatic and social sciences.
Components and areas of expertise within OTN include social sciences, oceanography, biology and zoology, marine law, data management, autonomous vehicles (Slocum gliders, Wave Glider), and acoustic tracking technology development, design and application.
OTN is hosted by Dalhousie University, a leading international marine research institution. University facilities include the Aquatron, the largest aquatic research facility in Canada. Collaborating Dalhousie-based networks include the Institute for Ocean Research Enterprise, Canada Excellence Research Chair, and the Marine Environmental Observation, Prediction and Response Network (MEOPAR) National Center of Excellence.
- Data acquisition
- Data storage
- Data management
- Data quality control
- Data analysis
- Acoustic telemetry network design and operation
- Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping
- ROV (Remotely operated vehicle) / AMV (Autonomous Marine Vehicle) deployment and application
- Agriculture, animal science and food
- Clean technology
- Education
- Energy
- Environmental technologies and related services
- Fisheries and aquaculture
- Ocean industries
- Policy and governance
- Tourism and hospitality
- Transportation
Specialized labs and equipment
| Specialized lab | Equipment | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Autonomous Marine Vehicles (AMVs) and fixed-station telemetry and oceanographic equipment | Five (5) Slocum Electric Glider AMVs | Mobile oceanographic sampling and monitoring, acoustic tracking |
| Wave Glider Autonomous Marine Vehicles (AMV) | Mobile oceanographic sampling and monitoring, acoustic tracking, sea-surface and weather monitoring | |
| Acoustic receivers (global tracking infrastructure; VEMCO, VR2s, VR3s, VR4s, VR 100s, VEMCO Mobile Transceivers (VMT) | Fixed oceanographic sampling and monitoring | |
| Acoustic and satellite tag infrastructure (global tag and receiver deployments) | Mobile oceanographic sampling and monitoring, acoustic tracking | |
| Benthic oceanographic monitoring pods | Oceanographic sampling and monitoring, acoustic tracking, sea-surface and weather monitoring |
Private and public sector research partners
| Aarhus Universitet |
| Abernathy Fish Technology Center |
| Acadia University |
| Acadian Sturgeon and Caviar |
| ACER |
| AECOM |
| Atlantic Salmon Federation |
| Horizon2020-AtlantOS |
| Australian Institute of Marine Science |
| Bedford Institute of Oceanography |
| Canadian Securities Institute |
| Cape Breton University |
| Carleton University |
| Dalhousie University |
| East Carolina University |
| Encana Corporation |
| ExxonMobil Corp. |
| Falkland Island Fisheries Department |
| Fisheries and Oceans Canada |
| Global Ocean Observing System |
| Government of Nunavut |
| Great Lakes Fishery Commission |
| Greenland Institute of Natural Resources |
| Gulf Fisheries Centre |
| Institute of Ocean Sciences |
| James Cook University |
| Kintama |
| LGL Limited |
| Liquid Robotics Inc. |
| Lotek Wireless Inc. |
| MacQuarie University, Australia |
| Margaree Salmon Association |
| Maritime BioLoggers |
| Maurice Lamontagne Institute |
| Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute |
| Memorial University of Newfoundland |
| Montana Rural Water Systems |
| Mount Allison University |
| National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
| National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association |
| Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada |
| Norwegian Institute for Nature |
| Norwegian University of Science and Technology |
| Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture |
| NYU Langone Medical School |
| Ontario Power Generation |
| Oregon State University |
| Pacific Biological Station |
| Pacific Salmon Commission |
| Pacific Salmon Foundation |
| Prince William Sound Science Center |
| Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife |
| Research Nova Scotia |
| Restigouche River Watershed Management Committee |
| Rhodes University |
| ROMOR Ocean Solutions |
| Salmon Association |
| Satlantic |
| Scottish Marine Mammal Unit |
| Seabird Scientific |
| South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity |
| St. Francis Xavier University |
| Sydney Institute of Marine Science |
| Technical University of Denmark |
| U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources |
| United States Geological Survey |
| Université Laval |
| University of British Columbia |
| University of California Irvine |
| University of Delaware |
| University of Maine |
| University of Manitoba |
| University of Massachusetts |
| University of Northern British Columbia |
| University of Ottawa |
| University of Prince Edward Island |
| University of Quebec at Chicoutimi |
| University of Victoria |
| University of Waterloo |
| University of Windsor |
| Vancouver Aquarium |
| VEMCO |
| Veterinary College |
| Virginia Commonwealth |
| Western University |
| Wildlife Computers Inc. |
Additional information
| Title | URL |
|---|---|
| Tracking the North Atlantic right whale: Ocean Tracking Network leveraging new technology to track whales and design interventions. | https://www.innovation.ca/projects-results/research-stories/tracking-north-atlantic-right-whale |
| Aquatic animal telemetry: A panoramic window into the underwater world. | http://www.sciencemag.org/content/348/6240/1255642.full |
| Torpedo ray tagged by Dalhousie University researchers. | http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/torpedo-ray-satellite-tag-dalhousie-1.3269769 |