OTN Data Sheets

Sheets for submitting your project metadata to the Ocean Tracking Network's Data Centre.

The Ocean Tracking Network has defined standards for documenting the detailed information describing affiliated acoustic telemetry projects. The accepted metadata sheet formats are available below, in Excel and printable field-sheet formats. Detection data can be provided in the raw output format the vendor supplies (i.e. for Vemco-branded receivers, a set of .vrl files from the offloaded receivers can be zipped and submitted to otndc@dal.ca or uploaded via the project repository folders on this portal.)

Project Metadata

When registering your project with the Ocean Tracking Network, you must provide information on the core attributes of your project, including the scientific abstract, associated investigators, geospatial details, temporal and taxonomic range.
Download.txt

Tag Metadata

Information about the deployment of tags (acoustic, PIT, satellite, floy etc.) in or on animals for the purposes of tracking their movements using either listening stations or via mark/recapture. Any biological metrics that were measured at tagging time, i.e. length, weight, population, are recorded for future analysis.
Download.xlsx

Instrument Deployment Metadata (short form)

Information about the deployment of any instruments used to detect tagged subjects or collect related data. This includes stationary test tags, range test instruments, non-acoustic environmental sensors etc. Geographic location, as well as the duration of the deployment for each instrument, is recorded. The locations of these listening stations are used to fix detections geographically.
Download.xlsx

Other Metadata Sheets:

Innovasea / OTN Authorization Form

Notify OTN of serial numbers and tag IDs when you purchase gear so OTN can contact you when detections occur, even if you haven't submitted tag metadata yet. Please complete the form and send to OTNDC@dal.ca. 

Moving Platforms Metadata

Information about the deployment of any moving platform, such as gliders, ROVs, drifters, active tracking devices, that have had listening stations affixed/installed. Location information collected alongside the detections will be used to fix detections geographically.

Printable Field Sheets

Contains printable documents to use for tagging or instrument deployment/recovery/download missions. These documents are meant to act as a guide when designing datasheets for your research group, ensuring all information required to report to your regional network is recorded.

Equipment Testing Checklist

Used to capture a record of all in-water and in-air tests of equipment received at OTN headquarters or directly by partner institutions.

Mission Report

Used to provide general information, objectives, and results of OTN field 'missions', i.e. line servicing, glider deployment, range testing.

Moored Transmitter Metadata

Used to capture metadata on moored transmitter deployments, wherein tags are deployed at stations instead of/along with receivers.

Proposed Station Locations

Used to record lats, longs, and bottom depth of proposed station locations for new OTN arrays and for new stations on existing OTN arrays.

OTN Data Embargo Request Form

Used to request a data embargo period for a project sharing data with OTN. Embargoed data will be treated as Restricted as per the OTN Data Policy until the date of embargo expiry.

Other Links:

Obsolete Field Sheets

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