The Rhode Island acoustic array consists of approximately 45 acoustic receivers deployed in the coastal waters of Rhode Island. It provides vital information about species, especially sharks, living in and passing through Rhode Island waters.
Before 2019, there were no acoustic receivers in Rhode Island waters. As a result, tagged marine animals that passed through the state would have a gap in their location data. For example, a shark moving north might be detected in New York, then disappear before showing up again in Massachusetts. Jon Dodd, founder of Atlantic Shark Institute (ASI), wanted to solve this problem. ASI collaborated with Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RI DEM) to install acoustic receivers on the Rhode Island Coast. As of July 2025, they have approximately 45 active acoustic receivers recording tag detections in the previously data deficient state. “It’s just hand in glove,” Dodd said about the collaboration between ASI and RI DEM. While ASI focuses on placing receivers in places where shark detections are likely, RI DEM is focused on smaller, valuable fishery species such as sea bass, tautog, and flounder. This difference in focus has allowed the team to create an acoustic array with extensive coverage of the Rhode Island coast, increasing the likelihood of detections and variety of species detected.
Since its inception, the array has detected more than 2500 individual animals and garnered over 1 million detections. ASI and RI DEM are using these data to put together a foundational acoustic telemetry paper, which will be the first of its kind for the state of Rhode Island. The paper will include information about the species that reside in Rhode Island waters, how much time migratory species are spending in the state, and species density. These findings will inform decision makers charged with managing the state’s fisheries. The array is providing valuable information about the movements of the ocean’s most iconic predator: the white shark. ASI has tagged 45 white sharks as of July 2025, and the array routinely picks up sharks tagged in other states. Through the acoustic telemetry data, ASI can see the movement of white sharks across all age classes. They have started to pick up interesting patterns in the movement of younger white sharks in particular and are working on a paper to share these findings.
One of the most important functions of the Rhode Island acoustic array is its ability to provide data to researchers using acoustic telemetry. Data from the array is shared through the ACT Network’s MATOS data portal, allowing members of collaborative telemetry networks to access detections of their tagged animals that migrate through Rhode Island. Numerous shark research projects have partnered with ASI to make use of the Rhode Island array’s data, with some tagged sharks originating as far away as Florida.
The information obtained from the receiver array will be instrumental in the management of Rhode Island’s marine species. Understanding the movements of a species allows for more effective, species-specific management. The array also serves as a model for collaboration between government and nonprofit organizations, showing how effective collaboration can lead to more extensive, high-quality research. For more information, visit ACT Network Projects ASIARRAY and RIDMF.
by Gabriel Stephenson/SERC