Evening workshop:
Search for consensus: best-practice (minimizing impact) in bio-logging science

Organizer: Patrick Miller, Chair: Rory Wilson

Two inter-twined questions arise when we attach devices to animals. The first is a pure science concern: how might the device itself alter the behavior/phenomenon we wish to study? For example, it has been shown that attaching devices to measure speed itself influences speed. The second concern is the broader ethical consideration of how attachment of a logging device might affect animal well-being. It may be the role of a biologging society to identify basic principles that should be followed, and to provide resources and information to help others conduct biologging science following those best-practice principles.

As scientists we are bound by common principles of scientific method, but each individual may have different personal thresholds of what might be acceptable biologging practice. The goal of this evening session is to identify a set of best-practice principles on which we have consensus, and discuss why consensus may be more difficult with other potential principles. Our plan includes a survey before the session to provide a focal point for discussions. Professor Rory Wilson kindly agreed to chair this evening session.

Before the symposium, we would like you to nominate potential best-practice principles. These can range from obvious to controversial principles. These should be concise but clear, and should be relevant. The more nominations we receive the better! A few examples:

-Animal handling procedures should follow local law.
-A specific analysis of the potential effect of the biologging device on the measured parameters should be undertaken before publication.
-Techniques for device attachment should be openly shared to avoid new-comers having to "re-invent" the wheel and unnecessarily disturb research subjects.

During the symposium, but before the session, each attendee can fill out an anonymous survey sheet rating how acceptable they judge each potential practice principle to be for their work. Surveys will be collected and results compiled before the start of the evening session.

During the session, we will present the results of the survey, including response statistics. Potential principles will then be ranked from 'most' to 'least' acceptable, and considered in that order. Our hope is to move quickly through the acceptable principles to be able to spend the bulk of the session discussing potential principles where consensus does not exist. Please be prepared to speak up for principles that you consider important.

Following the session, we will produce a report containing the results of the survey for each potential best-practice principle, and discuss the issues involved those on which consensus was not reached. All reporting will be 100% anonymous. Finally, we will consider what role, if any, a biologging science society might have to promulgate best-practice principles.