2015_PHD_VERHELST_COD - Acoustic telemetry data for Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in the Scheldt estuary and southern North Sea (Belgium)

This is an acoustic telemetry dataset published by Ghent University. It contains animal (fish) tracking data collected by the Permanent Belgian Acoustic Receiver Network <a href=\"https://lifewatch.be/en/fish-acoustic-receiver-network\"> (https://lifewatch.be/en/fish-acoustic-receiver-network)</a> for the project/study 2015_phd_verhelst_cod, using VEMCO tags (V9, V13, V13AP) and receivers (VR2AR, VR2C, VR2Tx, VR2W). In total 106 individuals of Atlantic cod (<i>Gadus morhua</i>) were captured, tagged and released between 2014 and 2018 in the Scheldt estuary and Belgian Part of the North Sea, to study movement behaviour between the estuary, sand bars, shipwrecks and wind farms.
Estuaries and coastal areas are subject to anthropogenic activities, as the largest harbours and economic activities are located along river banks and close to shore. Known to have a high habitat diversity, estuaries and coastal areas play a key role in the life cycle of many organisms, including marine fish. As such, these areas can serve as transport routes, foraging or nursery areas. In order to conserve these areas in a cost-efficient and sustainable way, a better understanding of the ecosystem functions and services is needed. The western Scheldt estuary and adjacent coastal area of Belgium are an important migration route and resident area for marine fish. We selected the Atlantic cod (<i>Gadus morhua</i>) as an economically important indicator species for marine fish species, to assess the importance of estuarine and coastal areas as a key habitat for this species. The results of this study will be useful for management measures for the conservation and restoration of the cod population.
This dataset was collected using infrastructure provided by VLIZ and INBO funded by the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO) as part of the Belgian contribution to LifeWatch.
Data have been standardized to Darwin Core using the <a href=\"https://inbo.github.io/etn/\">etn</a> package and are downsampled to the first detection per hour. The original data are managed in the European Tracking Network data platform (<a href=\"https://lifewatch.be/etn/\">https://lifewatch.be/etn/</a>) and are available in Verhelst et al. (2020, <a href=\"https://doi.org/10.14284/435\">https://doi.org/10.14284/435</a>).

本数据集为根特大学（Ghent University）发布的声学遥测数据集。其包含由比利时永久声学接收网络（<a href="https://lifewatch.be/en/fish-acoustic-receiver-network">https://lifewatch.be/en/fish-acoustic-receiver-network</a>）为项目2015_phd_verhelst_cod采集的动物（鱼类）追踪数据，所用设备为VEMCO声学标记（V9、V13、V13AP型）与接收设备（VR2AR、VR2C、VR2Tx、VR2W型）。2014至2018年间，研究人员在斯海尔德河河口与比利时北海海域共捕获、标记并放流了106尾大西洋鳕鱼（*Gadus morhua*），以研究其在河口、沙洲、沉船与风力发电场之间的移动行为。

河口与近岸区域受人类活动影响显著，因大型港口与经济活动多沿河滨、近岸布局。此类区域生境多样性极高，在包括海洋鱼类在内的众多生物的生命周期中发挥关键作用，可作为洄游通道、觅食场或育幼栖息地。为实现此类区域的低成本、可持续保护，需更深入地认识其生态系统功能与服务。比利时西部斯海尔德河河口及其毗邻近岸海域是海洋鱼类的重要洄游通道与栖息区域。本研究选取大西洋鳕鱼（*Gadus morhua*）作为海洋鱼类的经济指示物种，以评估河口与近岸区域作为该物种关键栖息地的重要性。本研究成果可为鳕鱼种群保护与修复的管理措施提供支撑。

本数据集依托佛兰德斯海洋研究所（VLIZ）与比利时自然与森林研究所（INBO）提供的基础设施完成采集，该设施由佛兰德斯研究基金会（FWO）资助，作为比利时向LifeWatch贡献的一部分。

数据集已通过etn工具包（<a href="https://inbo.github.io/etn/">https://inbo.github.io/etn/</a>）标准化为达尔文核心（Darwin Core）格式，并被降采样至每小时首次检测记录。原始数据托管于欧洲追踪网络数据平台（<a href="https://lifewatch.be/etn/">https://lifewatch.be/etn/</a>），相关研究成果可参见Verhelst等人（2020年，<a href="https://doi.org/10.14284/435">https://doi.org/10.14284/435</a>）。