Ocean Tracking Network receives $38.5 million in funding

Since 2017, detection data from collaborators has increased from 250 million to over 1 billion records, while marine gliders have travelled over 138,936 kilometers–over three times the earth’s circumference.

CITYnews halifax \ Tyler Dunne

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The Canada Foundation for Innovation’s Major Science Initiatives Fund has awarded The Ocean Tracking Network a $38.5 million grant. 

The Ocean Tracking network is a global aquatic research, data management and partnership platform out of Dalhousie University with collaborators worldwide who use the platform’s infrastructure and technology to track over 300 marine species.

“This significant investment from CFI will allow OTN to maintain and advance its headquarters operations and activities, while remaining agile and adaptable to emerging science priorities in Canada and internationally,” said Dr. Sara Iverson, OTN’s scientific director, in a news release.

“Over the next six years, the funding will allow OTN to expand the core operations and activities that underpin the network’s mandate, including continuing to deliver on our world-class marine glider program, expanding subsea robotics activities, and supporting the integration of satellite-derived animal movements data into the OTN Data Centre,” Iverson continued.

The MSI Fund supports some of Canada’s leading research facilities.

Dr. Alice Aiken, Dalhousie’s vice president of research and innovation, in the same news release said, “with support from CFI, OTN’s cutting-edge research, technological innovation and global partnerships are helping to build the knowledge we need to revolutionize our understanding and stewardship of aquatic species around the world.”

OTN has been awarded a grant of $38.5 million from @InnovationCA's (CFI) Major Science Initiatives (MSI) Fund! Learn more about the impacts of this investment on aquatic species research in Canada and around the world: https://t.co/9zdESNuXJR pic.twitter.com/spKkl2ZdCi

— Ocean Tracking Network (@OceanTracking) August 19, 2022