Table 3 Compromises and advantages of the Queensland single-array design

Receiver deployments can be limited to the sites and depths where collaborators operate (e.g., sheltered sections at the back of reefs and islands; 5–9 m depth), which might not be optimal for detection range and might not be the best location where animals are most likely to swim past.

Receivers have the potential to be maintained indefinitely by collaborators, so the skeleton of the large-scale array remains in place, thereby reducing the impact that changes in receiver placement can have on large-scale movement studies.

Animals may not be tagged near a receiver, or in a region with only one receiver. Risk of collecting very little data for some species if not enough individuals move to a region with more receivers or swims past single receivers.

Ability to tag at many more locations within the enhanced Queensland array skeleton (e.g., multiple locations to address connectivity and stock structure questions).

Single receiver deployments may not detect the same number of individuals as installations with more receivers.

Faster and cheaper to service, and gaps between local arrays can be more easily filled, providing much larger spatial coverage and resolution. Advantageous for studying large-scale movements of multiple species over time.