Hi everyone, I am sending this email to those interested in satellite tracking of large cetaceans. We will be hosting a full day workshop at the 2026 meeting of the Society for Marine Mammalogy in Puerto Rico on Sunday, 18 October. The workshop title is: “A workshop on advancement, misconceptions, and future developments in applications of consolidated (type C) satellite tags to cetaceans.”
The workshop will focus on consolidated or type C satellite tags as defined by Andrews et al. (2019). These tags have also been referred to as “implantable”, “deep implant” or “transdermal” and are mostly used with baleen whales and sperm whales, though some of the newest technology can also be applied to large odontocetes. Type C tags are typically nearly fully embedded in the tissue, and they anchor in the blubber or at/below the blubber muscle interface. These tags provide, on average, the longest transmission durations among all tag types used with cetaceans, and current tags have allowed tracking for multiple months and sometimes even a year or more. The introduction of the new satellite constellation by Argos (the Kineis satellites) opens opportunities for multi-year tracking. Because type C tags implant deeper in the tissue, they raise concerns about potential impacts to the welfare of tagged animals and the potential for demographic, physiological and behavioral effects both on an individual and on a population level. In recent years, multiple studies have been done to address questions related to these impacts. The primary goals of the workshop are: • Provide an update on type C tagging technology, including the most recent developments, information on tag performance (e.g., transmission duration) of current instruments, and a discussion on strategies to further advance this technology. • A summary of the findings from studies designed to assess demographic, physical/physiological and behavioral effects of type C tags. • Provide an opportunity for members of the community to discuss concerns about tag effects in an open and friendly environment. • Discuss knowledge gaps and future tag improvements that could help the community to further address cetacean research and conservation. The workshop is targeted to the following audiences: • satellite tagging developers and practitioners, • members of permitting agencies and animal care committees, • marine mammal scientists interested in using type C tags in the future, • agencies engaged or interested in funding satellite technology for cetaceans. • members of the marine mammal science community with broad interest in cetacean tagging. The workshop will consist of presentations by experts in the field and discussion sessions to address questions by the audience. Additional information and the link to sign up for the workshop are provided here: https://www.smmconference.org/workshops/#1776734911914-2b90a9ef-2679 Workshop organizers appreciate the support received from the US Office of Naval Research, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. We hope to see you in Puerto Rico in October. Best wishes, Alex Zerbini (on behalf of the workshop organizers) Reference: Andrews, R.D., Baird, R.W., Calambodikis, J., Goertz, C.E.C., Gulland, F.M.D., Heide-Jørgensen, M.P., Hooker, S.K., Johnson, M., Mate, B., Mitani, Y., Nowacek, D.P., Owen, K., Quakenbush, L.T., Raverty, S., Robbins, J., Schorr, G.S., Shpak, O.V., Townsend, F.I., Jr., Uhart, M., Wells, R.S. and Zerbini, A.N. 2019. Best practice guidelines for cetacean tagging. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 20: 27-51. -- Dr. Alexandre N. Zerbini Research Scientist Marine Ecology and Telemetry Research 2468 Camp McKenzie Trail NW, Seabeck WA 98380-4513 E-mail: [email protected] www.marecotel.org Follow MarEcoTel on Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/marecotel/> Follow MarEcoTel on Twitter <https://twitter.com/marecotel>
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