Unlocking the potential of aquatic animal telemetry research to advance management and conservation: Barriers and a blueprint for Great Britain and Ireland

Aquatic animal telemetry research can provide important knowledge for how populations, anthropogenic pressures and, indeed, entire ecosystems are managed. However, the true scale, extent and impact in Britain and Ireland is poorly understood. We surveyed 53 researchers about past and ongoing projects to characterize the British and Irish telemetry landscape and identify barriers to impact. A wide diversity of species (n = 63) have been studied, with Atlantic salmon being the most, while fish passage and hydropower were the most researched anthropogenic pressures. Seventy-three percent of respondents reported personal experiences influencing management and policy decisions. However, we found barriers to telemetry-derived knowledge uptake (e.g. technological limitations) while early engagement and effective communication with policy actors facilitated uptake. Given these findings we make three recommendations: consolidate the research community into coordinated hub, improve data sharing processes, and establish a permanent and interoperable acoustic telemetry receiver array. If delivered, they would represent a step-change in how telemetry-derived knowledge is both gathered and used to provide evidence-based management and conservation of British and Irish aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems.

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Publication Details

Journal
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Published
2026-10-14
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2025-0388
Primary Topic
Fish Ecology and Management Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Unlocking the potential of aquatic animal telemetry research to advance management and conservation: Barriers and a blueprint for Great Britain and Ireland

Colin E. Adams, Matthew J. Witt, Emma Washburn, Colin W. Bean et al.
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Fish Ecology and Management Studies
article

Unlocking the potential of aquatic animal telemetry research to advance management and conservation: Barriers and a blueprint for Great Britain and Ireland

Colin E. Adams, Matthew J. Witt, Emma Washburn, Colin W. Bean, Danielle Leigh Orrell, Novella Franconi, Jamie R. Dodd, Michael J. Williamson, Stephen D. Gregory, Valerie Berseth, Jonathan P. Gillson, J. Robert Britton, Thomas W. Horton, Richard Noble, Alan M. Walker, Alice E. Hall, Andy Moore, Daniel W. Montgomery, Tea Bašić, Thomas Stamp, Peter W. F. Davies, David J. Curnick, Charles Crundwell, Adam T. Piper, Richard James Kennedy, Vivian M. Nguyen, Jessica R. Rodger, Anthony W. J. Bicknell, Jonathan David Bolland, Angus J. Lothian, Emma V. Sheehan, Mark I. A. Yeldham, Rosalind M. Wright, Ruaidhri Forrester, Will A Beaumont, Sophy R. McCully Phillips, David M Jacoby, Andy D. Nunn, James Barry, Seán Kelly, Joana F Silva, Sarah McLean
article en

Abstract

Aquatic animal telemetry research can provide important knowledge for how populations, anthropogenic pressures and, indeed, entire ecosystems are managed. However, the true scale, extent and impact in Britain and Ireland is poorly understood. We surveyed 53 researchers about past and ongoing projects to characterize the British and Irish telemetry landscape and identify barriers to impact. A wide diversity of species (n = 63) have been studied, with Atlantic salmon being the most, while fish passage and hydropower were the most researched anthropogenic pressures. Seventy-three percent of respondents reported personal experiences influencing management and policy decisions. However, we found barriers to telemetry-derived knowledge uptake (e.g. technological limitations) while early engagement and effective communication with policy actors facilitated uptake. Given these findings we make three recommendations: consolidate the research community into coordinated hub, improve data sharing processes, and establish a permanent and interoperable acoustic telemetry receiver array. If delivered, they would represent a step-change in how telemetry-derived knowledge is both gathered and used to provide evidence-based management and conservation of British and Irish aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems.

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Zoological Society of London (GB), Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (GB), University of Calgary (CA), Environment Agency (GB), University of Hull (GB), University of Exeter (GB), University College Cork (IE), Scarborough Health Network (CA), Lowestoft Hospital (GB), Swansea University (GB), Sustainability Institute (ZA), Bord Iascaigh Mharaga (IE), Loughs Agency (GB), Fishing in Ireland (IE), University College London (GB), Carleton University (CA), Lancaster University (GB), University of Glasgow (GB), Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GB), University of Plymouth (GB), Bournemouth University (GB), Dundalk Institute of Technology (IE)
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 15%
Fish Ecology and Management Studies
DOISourceOpenAlex
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