This project used observations and mathematical ocean models to examine the effects of oceanographic changes on key Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) study species, including American eel, Atlantic sturgeon and Atlantic salmon.

The models contributed to understanding the underlying mechanisms of observed movement patterns. For example, by combining observations and simulations of oxygen decline on the Scotian Shelf with known habitat requirements of endangered Atlantic wolffish, researchers determined that oxygen depletion is likely reducing wolffish habitat.

These models also helped in the analysis and interpretation of data from ocean sensors (OTN project 4.1), and determined environmental conditions and their effects on the swimming ability of adult salmon (OTN project 4.4). Additionally, they helped elucidate the effect of currents and oceanographic conditions on eel migration (OTN project 4.5) and allowed researchers to characterize and predict overwintering sites of sturgeon in the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick (OTN project 4.6).