The Australian Government is providing $542 million over 2006-2011, through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS), to provide Australian scientists with major research facilities, supporting infrastructure and networks necessary for world-class research. As part of NCRIS, $55.2 million has been committed to establish the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS). In a true paradigm shift in Australian marine research, IMOS is creating an enhanced, nationally integrated capacity to collect marine data, draw it together and make it accessible to researchers.

The Australian Acoustic Tracking and Monitoring System (AATAMS) is one of 11 facilities within IMOS and aims to:

• Form a national network and increase collaboration between acoustic tracking researchers;

• Invest in over 200 permanent, acoustic receivers strategically located in Australian waters to maximise national benefit and form a continental array in conjunction with existing infrastructure; and

• Initiate an internationally coordinated Marine Animal Tracking program in collaboration with the Ocean Tracking Network (OTN).

As part of the aim of facilitating marine research using acoustic technology, AATAMS has a pool of 25 VR2W receivers and 1 vr100 unit, which will be made available to scientists on a competitive basis in order to assist marine projects in Australia.

The use of these receivers must comply with IMOS’ objective to “offer open access to data arising from research infrastructure provided through IMOS to the national and international marine research communities” and principles:

• Service: IMOS will provide a service that broadly supports researchers in the national marine community to maximise the contributions of R&D to economic development, national security, social wellbeing and environmental sustainability;

• Data-streams: Success will be measured in terms of the quality and quantity of data that IMOS delivers, the number of users and the quality of research-results produced with IMOS data;

• Integration: IMOS will deploy a coordinated, multi-platform observing system to take advantage of the synergies between instruments, and to provide a comprehensive description of the ocean, as a contribution to national and international programs;

• Sustainability: The real value of IMOS will only emerge if systematic, repeated data collection continues for long enough time to see the range of climate variation and change. Sustained streams of data are integrally related to conservation and sustainable development of the marine environment.