MATOS - Mid-Atlantic Acoustic Telemetry Observation System

Project Title: Occurrence of commercially important and endangered fishes in Delaware Wind Energy Areas using acoustic telemetry

MATOS Project Code: DEWEA

Data Type: Data

Project Duration: February 2017 - March 2019

Project Description: The mid-Atlantic continental shelf has been identified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory as the coastal region with the greatest offshore wind resource potential in waters less than 60 m deep and therefore is very well suited for near-term offshore wind energy technology. Federally endangered Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) and the commercially important Winter Skate (Leucoraja ocellata), are two species that occur in the Delaware Wind Energy Area (WEA), although there is little information on their patterns of residency and habitat. Acoustic receivers were deployed around the perimeter of the DE WEA in February 2017 to monitor the seasonal occupancy and movement of telemetered individuals. In April 2017, VEMCO acoustic transmitters were implanted in 50 Atlantic Sturgeon, and 50 Winter Skate in the Delaware coastal ocean. In addition, the receivers record the presence of species tagged with compatible transmitters identified through the ACT network.

Objectives:

compare performance of moored vs. acoustic release receivers
determine environmental co-variates of species occurrence
transit times through study area
seasonal species occurrence

Management Benefits:

and Endangered Species, and Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Acts.
minimize interactions with these species for compliance with the National Environmental Policy

Principal Investigator:	Matthew Oliver (University of Delaware)
Email:	moliver@udel.edu

Point of Contact:	Danielle Haulsee
Email:	danielle.haulsee@gmail.com

Collaborators:

Dr. Dewayne Fox (Delaware State University)

Participating Organizations:

BOEM
Delaware State University
University of Delaware

Funding:

BOEM

BOEM-DE Offshore Wind Energy Area Study