The FACT Network (originally the Florida Atlantic Coast Telemetry working group), established in 2007, is a grassroots collaboration that is dedicated to improving the conservation and management of aquatic animals by facilitating data sharing amongst researchers using acoustic telemetry technology, providing a community for scientists, and building stakeholder partnerships. Founded along the eastern Florida coastline, FACT quickly grew in both membership and geographical range to include 93 partner groups along a large portion of the southern U.S. Atlantic seaboard and western Caribbean. This rapid expansion was facilitated by adapting FACT's policies and procedures to meet the growing needs of its members, including implementing an online data sharing system capable of exchanging information with other compatible systems designed by the Ocean Tracking Network (OTN). Less than 13 months from its inception, the FACT database housed 129.5 million detections and metadata for 5,979 tags from 101 projects (85 FACT projects and 16 OTN‐based projects). Twice‐yearly meetings allow FACT members to interact, building relationships between individuals, which in turn promotes collaboration and data sharing. The success of FACT is attributable to a combination of biogeographical factors; partnerships with the Animal Tracking Network, OTN, and Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association; and active membership. In a survey of FACT members, data management services and belonging to a community ranked highest as reasons for joining the network. Future success of the FACT Network will depend on how effectively it can adapt to changing needs and conditions in the scientific landscape. In this paper, we describe the origins, philosophy, and management approach of the FACT Network, with the hope that this information can provide insights into the benefits (and limitations) of future acoustic tracking networks in other regions.

中文翻译：

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FACT网络：协作沿海跟踪网络的理念，演进和管理

FACT网络（最初是佛罗里达大西洋海岸遥测工作组）成立于2007年，是基层合作组织，致力于通过使用声学遥测技术促进研究人员之间的数据共享，从而改善水生动物的保护和管理。 ，并建立利益相关者合作伙伴关系。FACT成立于佛罗里达州东部海岸线，其会员数量和地域范围迅速扩大，在美国南部大西洋沿岸和西加勒比海的大部分地区包括93个合作伙伴团体。通过调整FACT的政策和程序来满足其成员不断增长的需求，促进了这种快速扩展，包括实施一个在线数据共享系统，该系统能够与海洋跟踪网络（OTN）设计的其他兼容系统交换信息。从成立之日起不到13个月，FACT数据库就存储了来自101个项目（85个FACT项目和16个基于OTN的项目）的5,979个标签的1.295亿个检测值和元数据。每年两次的会议允许FACT成员进行互动，在个人之间建立关系，从而促进协作和数据共享。FACT的成功归因于多种生物地理因素。与动物追踪网络，OTN和东南沿海海洋观测区域协会建立合作伙伴关系；和活跃的会员。在FACT成员的一项调查中，数据管理服务和属于社区的排名最高，成为加入该网络的原因。FACT网络的未来成功将取决于它如何有效地适应科学领域不断变化的需求和条件。在本文中，我们描述了FACT网络的起源，理念和管理方法，希望该信息可以提供对其他地区未来声学跟踪网络的好处（和局限性）的见解。