A group of 25 telemetry experts from across Europe are meeting this week in Olhão to implement part of the European Tracking Network, which will study the movement of fish and other marine animals.
By using electronic tags, researchers can follow migratory movement, allowing the scientists to identify habitats critical for the protection of species.
Studying the movement of aquatic animals is "fundamental to understanding their behavior and their threats," explains an organisation member, it’s, "a network that brings together researchers, resources and infrastructures to enhance the study of the movement of aquatic animals on a large scale - from European rivers and seas to the Atlantic Ocean-"
However, collecting information on migrating species, such as tuna, sharks and eels, is hampered by the need for large-scale monitoring capability.
The European Tracking Network will overcome these difficulties, allowing the sharing of information, the maximizing of resources and boosting future projects.
"With this network, if the fish tagged in Portuguese waters, migrate to other locations in Europe, I will be alerted by the other researchers in the network, which allows me to boost my results at a lower cost and effort - and vice versa," said David Abecasis, a researcher at the Center for Marine Sciences at the University of Algarve.
Pedro Afonso, a researcher and coordinator of the European Tracking Network, stresses that the initiative has "responded to the needs of the research community in this area," taking advantage of the European project AtlantOS and the LifeWatch and Ocean Tracking Network initiatives to launch the basis of what is expected to be "a true pan-European network of aquatic biotelemetry."
"The potential is indeed great, because it will bring researchers together, but this also create new opportunities to respond to policy makers in an era of increasing ecological challenges," said Afonso.
