With the latest technology from Star-Oddi, scientists are able to monitor the GPS location of fish, which will provide them valuable information on fish behavior.
The research company Salmon & Trout (Laxfiskar in Icelandic), in co-operation with the Marine Research Institute and Star-Oddi, have started a research project where Star-Oddi's new DST GPS tags and GPS transmitter (Fish Positioning Sounder) plays an important role.
The aim of the study is to map the distribution and behaviour ecology of brown trout (Salmo Trutta) in Lake Thingvallavatn, Iceland's largest natural Lake (84km2). In order to do so, the study includes use of the new DST GPS technology that was 
developed by Star-Oddi in co-operation with Simrad in Norway. The DST GPS fish tags enable sampling of fixed geopositions of the tagged fish parallel to sampling of data on fish depth and corresponding water temperature.
The geoposition is based on the global positioning system (GPS). The GPS information is received by the GPS transmitter and transmitted into the water. The GPS code is received and recorded into the tag's memory if the tagged fish is within the transmission range of the transmitter. When the fish is recaptured, the data on GPS positions is retrieved from the tag along with data on fish depth and corresponding ambient temperature.
The small and portable GPS transmitter (Fish Positioning Sounder) from Star-Oddi is mainly intended for freshwater applications, where strength of transmission signal can be set up to several hundred meters. The transmitter can be placed at fixed positions or used on smaller boats, scanning the lake.
On December 22nd 2003, the new DST GPS fish tag technology was formally taken into use when seven large brown trout spawners were tagged with DST GPS. The trouts were up to 6.6 kg in weight and 86 cm in fork length. The fish were tagged in Lake Thingvallavatn by Johannes Sturlaugsson at Salmon & Trout Ltd. The tagged fish were released and exposed to transmittings from the GPS transmitter. The DST GPS taggings are part of the mentioned study that started in 2003, and includes planned annual taggings into 2006. The behaviour and the environment of the trout in Lake Thingvallavatn had already been studied by Sturlaugsson for several years, using traditional DSTs to sample information on the fish depth during the year and the corresponding water temperature.
In this new study, the DST GPS tags are an important part of the further sampling, as it enables to map the actual distribution of the trout, not the least during their feeding migration phase ranging from spring to autumn. The GPS brown trout study is supported by fundings from the Icelandic Power Company (www.lv.is), the Reykjavik Energy (www.or.is) and the Thingvellir National Park (www.thingvellir.is).
See the product overview here
GPS Case Studies
Star-Oddi:
Telephone +354 533-6060
Fax +354 533-6069
e-mail: star-oddi@star-oddi.com
Website: www.star-oddi.com
Address:
Vatnagardar 14
104 Reykjavik, Iceland
Salmon & Trout:
Telephone +354 866 9914
e-mail: johannes@laxfiskar.is
Post address: P.O.Box 280,
IS - 270 Mosfellsbae, Iceland
HOME
