Robert J Lennox: Studying predation with electronic tracking and tagging technology
Channel: Fishbase Sweden
Date: 2023-11-08

Robert J. Lennox, Ocean Tracking Network, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada, gave a lecture on "Studying predation with electronic tagging and tracking techology - fundamental knowledge and applications to conservation" at FishBase Symposium 2023 in Stockholm, Sweden, October 16, 2023.

ABSTRACT: The fate of wild animals is one of the most challenging aspects of biological research and for fisheries this is the rate of natural mortality, which drives many fisheries models. Predation is a major component of natural mortality, but predation may drive compensatory or additive mortality depending on the condition of animals that are eaten. 
Recent advances in telemetry have opened new avenues to study the fate of animals in higher resolution, including novel predation sensors that can detect predation events and confirm the fates of fish with tools including acid- or tilt-based sensors. 
Using Atlantic salmon, as a focal species, we demonstrate how novel insights can be revealed about the nature of predators and their prey in aquatic ecosystems using aquatic telemetry and some of the new tools available for tracking. We additionally provide an overview of considerations for designing predation studies using electronic tags and illustrate how these data can contribute to defining and resolving conflicts between people and predators.