A population consequence of acoustic disturbance model for Cuvier s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) in southern California
Abstract
The objective of this proposal is to extend the Blainville’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris) Population Consequences of Acoustic Disturbance (PCAD) model to Cuvier’s beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) in the Southern California Bight. It will consolidate and build on existing data sets, and provide a framework that will inform future data collection. MFA sonar operations occur repeatedly on Navy ranges that are known to contain populations of Blainville’s (Mesoplodon densirostris) and Cuvier’s (Ziphius cavirostris) beaked whales, hereafter Md and Zc. Strandings of these species have been associated with the use of Navy sonar [ ]. A population of Md is known to use the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) range in the Bahamas and a population of Zc has been documented on the Southern California Offshore Range (SCORE) off San Clemente Island in California [ ]. Developing a methodology for monitoring the long-term health of populations such as these, that are repeatedly exposed to sonar, is important for the continued operational integrity of these ranges. This program builds on results from a number of ongoing research programs that address related issues. These include Marine Mammal Monitoring on Navy Ranges (M3R), the Behavioral Response Study (BRS), Density Estimation for Cetaceans from Fixed Acoustic sensors (DECAF), Bahamas Beaked whale Ecology Study (BBES), Behavioral Ecology of Deep-diving Odontocetes in the Bahamas, and Linking Acoustic Tests and Tagging using statistical Estimation (LATTE). We will construct a Zc-specific version of the models developed by the ONR Working Group on the Population Consequences of Acoustic Disturbance (PCAD) using data collected from Zc on SCORE, with a focus on the Southern California Anti-submarine warfare Range (SOAR) where these animals are regularly exposed to sonar. A complimentary effort (Schorr/Falcone) will be proposed to collect visual and tag data from another Zc population in the North Pacific, but outside Southern California, that is not exposed to repeated sonar exercises. This would serve as a comparative site, similar to that provided for Md by the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organization (BMMRO) off Abaco in the Bahamas. Upon completion, the methodology developed under this project will be transitioned to the Navy’s Integrated Comprehensive Monitoring Program (ICMP). This provides an “overarching framework for marine mammal monitoring on ranges, including consistent approaches for reporting and analyzing monitoring data and a review of best practices from the Fleets”. In addition, annual marine mammal monitoring reports are provided to NMFS for each major training range and operating area [ , ]. The methodology developed by this program will, for the first time, provide a basis for monitoring Zc population health and will therefore fill a critical gap in the current ICMP plan. M3R data, range-provided ship track data, along with on-site observational data are used as input to the model. In FY15, M3R data collection is being transitioned to SCORE. This will provide unprecedented, consistent, uninterrupted data across seasons. At the same time, the LMR program is providing both satellite tag and observational data that will be used to inform the model thus providing a clear path moving forward.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 12, 2016
- Source ID
- N000141512191
Entities
People
- Len Thomas
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of St Andrews