UN Decade of Ocean Science endorses new DTOTrack project 

DTOTrack is one of fourteen research and innovation projects co-funded under the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership’s first joint transnational call to become officially recognised as a UN Ocean Decade Action.

The DTOTrack (Digital Twin of the Ocean: Animal Tracking) project aims to map the movements and distributions of marine life in the North Sea, and to use this animal movement data as an Essential Ocean Variable to create a digital twin of the area. Through these efforts, the team will be in a position to assess how animal movements may be affected by the ongoing (and planned) offshore infrastructure developments, and thus support decision-making and management efforts.

The DTOTrack team is made up of leading organisations in the study of animal movement, including its lead partner, Loughs Agency (Ireland). Together, the team will advance our understanding of aquatic animals in the North Sea, as well as their needs and the threats they face. In this way, DTOTrack’s efforts will boost biodiversity conservation efforts in European seas. Its acknowledgment by the UN Decade of Ocean Science underscores the project’s contribution to global efforts towards a climate-neutral, sustainable, resilient, and competitive blue economy.

Proclaimed in 2017 by the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) (‘the Ocean Decade’) seeks to stimulate ocean science and knowledge generation to reverse the decline of the state of the ocean system and catalyse new opportunities for sustainable development of this massive marine ecosystem. The vision of the Ocean Decade is ‘the science we need for the ocean we want’. The Ocean Decade provides a convening framework for scientists and stakeholders from diverse sectors to develop the scientific knowledge and the partnerships needed to accelerate and harness advances in ocean science to achieve a better understanding of the ocean system, and deliver science-based solutions to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The UN General Assembly mandated UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) to coordinate the preparations and implementation of the Decade.

Speaking on behalf of the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership which coordinates the European funding for the work, Margherita Cappelletto, Partnership Coordinator, said:  ”The Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership welcomes the endorsement of DTOTrack as a UN Ocean Decade Action alongside thirteen other co-funded projects, a key outcome of the broader and fruitful collaboration with IOC. Looking ahead, future calls—including the second already underway—will also carry the Ocean Decade co-branding. This recognition reflects our commitment to transformative science for sustainable ocean economies, bridging expertise across borders and sectors to co-develop practical tools for ocean stewardship from the local to the global level.”

Alison Clausen, Deputy Coordinator of the UN Decade of Ocean Science team, added: “Projects like DTOTrack embody the spirit of the Ocean Decade by translating cutting-edge science into actionable knowledge for sustainable ocean management. By using marine animal tracking as a vital data source, DTOTrack contributes to building a more responsive and informed Digital Twin of the Ocean – an essential tool to guide responsible infrastructure development and protect marine biodiversity in the face of rapid change. This collaboration exemplifies the Ocean Decade’s vision of uniting science, innovation and partnerships to safeguard the ocean for future generations.”

More information on this project can be found at www.europeantrackingnetwork.org/dtotrack. If you have any questions about the project, please contact the project leader Ross McGill (ross.mcgill@loughs-agency.org).