 |
|
Researchers to Develop Ocean Sanctuary "Noise Budget" to Identify Sources and Evaluate Potential Impact on Marine Mammals and Fish
April 02, 2008Like sentinels at their posts, an array of buoys equipped with underwater microphones and other sensors will be on duty in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of Massachusetts for the next 30 months, recording sounds from whales, fish, ships and other sources around the clock. NOAA marine mammal scientists will analyze the biological sounds to help develop a global monitoring network for ocean noise, an important step in effectively managing marine sanctuary resources and protecting endangered species like the North Atlantic right whale.
"The ocean is a noisy place," said Sofie Van Parijs, marine mammal acoustician at NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) and a project scientist. "It's full of natural sounds and those from human activities, and there is substantial evidence that the level of man-made noise is rising. Marine mammals and many fishes are highly dependent on sound for communication, navigation, foraging and predator avoidance. We need to understand how these animals, especially endangered and protected species, are impacted by sounds from many sources to be able to better manage and protect these living resources."
An ocean-observing system consisting of ten autonomous recording units will be deployed for periods of three months, each in different parts of the Sanctuary at different times of the year, to monitor low frequency sounds. The passive-acoustic buoys, moored to the ocean floor and fully submerged, continually record ocean sounds around the clock before they pop to the surface on command so the data can be retrieved and batteries refreshed.
The three-year project began in late December with funding from the National Oceanographic Partnership Program and a team of scientists and engineers from NOAA Fisheries, NOAA Sanctuaries, the Bioacoustic Research Program at Cornell University and Marine Acoustics, Inc. Van Parijs and NEFSC colleague Denise Risch, also a marine mammal bioacoustician, will analyze the biological sounds collected during the study, while Sanctuary scientists Leila Hatch, Michael Thompson and Dave Wiley will focus on the anthropogenic or human-produced sounds. Project leader Chris Clark of Cornell University and colleagues provide scientific guidance, hardware and software, and are working with Bill Ellison of Marine Acoustics, Inc. on modeling ocean noise propagation within the sanctuary.
The Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is an urban marine sanctuary located in close proximity to Boston and a densely populated coastal zone. The area has commercial fishing fleets, heavy vessel traffic, is frequented by marine mammals like endangered Northern right whales, and forms a critical feeding ground for endangered fin and humpback whales. It is also home to acoustically-sensitive marine animals like commercially important haddock and other fishes, sharks and sea turtles.
Van Parijs says the Sanctuary is a perfect place to build a case study that can provide a benchmark to scientifically evaluate the impacts and interactions between various human-produced sounds and acoustically-sensitive marine animals.
The abundance of endangered whales and human activities in the Sanctuary will help the team address many of the recommendations made by the National Research Council's committee on the potential impacts of ambient noise in the ocean on marine mammals. The committee has cited the importance of sound in the lives of marine mammals, the potential for harm from excessive noise, and the lack of scientific data as to the amounts of noise introduced into the oceans by human activities and its potential impact on marine mammals.
"We need to ground-truth current sampling and analysis techniques and identify gaps that must be addressed prior to implementing a large-scale domestic or international monitoring program," Van Parijs said. "The products of this project will be a suite of tools designed to be transferable for use in other ecological regions or sanctuaries along with an extensive database of sounds. This project is a first step toward a much larger goal of establishing a global passive acoustic monitoring network to measure ambient noise levels in a variety of locations."
The first set of project buoys deployed in December were recently recovered from the northeast corner of the Sanctuary and were redeployed March 7 in the southwest corner, where endangered Northern right whales are congregating. The area is a primary nursing and feeding ground for the whales in the spring.
Ten similar buoys were used successfully in the Sanctuary in 2006 during a one-year pilot project in preparation for this study. This is the first project to record all types of sounds over a long time period in a relatively large area in an effort to characterize the marine acoustic environment and the health of an urbanized, highly productive ecosystem. One potential use of the information: scientists could track whale migration patterns and ship movements to help prevent collisions, a leading cause of whale mortality.
"Our goals are to map the low-frequency noise budget throughout the Sanctuary, identify and quantify the contributing sources of sounds, and determine whether or not these noises have the potential to impact endangered marine mammals and fishes," said David Wiley, the Sanctuary's research coordinator. "The results from this project will have local, national and international implications."
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The three-year project began in late December with funding from the National Oceanographic Partnership Program and a team of scientists and engineers from NOAA Fisheries, NOAA Sanctuaries, the Bioacoustic Research Program at Cornell University and Marine Acoustics, Inc. Van Parijs and NEFSC colleague Denise Risch, also a marine mammal bioacoustician, will analyze the biological sounds collected during the study, while Sanctuary scientists Leila Hatch, Michael Thompson and Dave Wiley will focus on the anthropogenic or human-produced sounds. Project leader Chris Clark of Cornell University and colleagues provide scientific guidance, hardware and software, and are working with Bill Ellison of Marine Acoustics, Inc. on modeling ocean noise propagation within the sanctuary.
The Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is an urban marine sanctuary located in close proximity to Boston and a densely populated coastal zone. The area has commercial fishing fleets, heavy vessel traffic, is frequented by marine mammals like endangered Northern right whales, and forms a critical feeding ground for endangered fin and humpback whales. It is also home to acoustically-sensitive marine animals like commercially important haddock and other fishes, sharks and sea turtles.
Van Parijs says the Sanctuary is a perfect place to build a case study that can provide a benchmark to scientifically evaluate the impacts and interactions between various human-produced sounds and acoustically-sensitive marine animals.
The abundance of endangered whales and human activities in the Sanctuary will help the team address many of the recommendations made by the National Research Council's committee on the potential impacts of ambient noise in the ocean on marine mammals. The committee has cited the importance of sound in the lives of marine mammals, the potential for harm from excessive noise, and the lack of scientific data as to the amounts of noise introduced into the oceans by human activities and its potential impact on marine mammals.
"We need to ground-truth current sampling and analysis techniques and identify gaps that must be addressed prior to implementing a large-scale domestic or international monitoring program," Van Parijs said. "The products of this project will be a suite of tools designed to be transferable for use in other ecological regions or sanctuaries along with an extensive database of sounds. This project is a first step toward a much larger goal of establishing a global passive acoustic monitoring network to measure ambient noise levels in a variety of locations."
The first set of project buoys deployed in December were recently recovered from the northeast corner of the Sanctuary and were redeployed March 7 in the southwest corner, where endangered Northern right whales are congregating. The area is a primary nursing and feeding ground for the whales in the spring.
Ten similar buoys were used successfully in the Sanctuary in 2006 during a one-year pilot project in preparation for this study. This is the first project to record all types of sounds over a long time period in a relatively large area in an effort to characterize the marine acoustic environment and the health of an urbanized, highly productive ecosystem. One potential use of the information: scientists could track whale migration patterns and ship movements to help prevent collisions, a leading cause of whale mortality.
"Our goals are to map the low-frequency noise budget throughout the Sanctuary, identify and quantify the contributing sources of sounds, and determine whether or not these noises have the potential to impact endangered marine mammals and fishes," said David Wiley, the Sanctuary's research coordinator. "The results from this project will have local, national and international implications."
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Marine Sanctuary Current Events and Marine Sanctuary News RSSNOAA Locates U.S. Navy Ship Sunk in World War II Battle
A NOAA-led research mission has located and identified the final resting place of the YP-389, a U.S. Navy patrol boat sunk approximately 20 miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras, NC, by a German submarine during World War II.
NOAA Scientists Map Fish Habitat and Movements at Gray's Reef Marine Sanctuary
Two related research expeditions by NOAA scientists to track the habitat preferences and movements of fish at Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary may help managers protect overfished species such as red snapper and grouper.
NOAA report finds flower garden banks sanctuary reefs among healthiest in Gulf
Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary is among the healthiest coral reef ecosystems in the tropical Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, according to a new NOAA report.
NOAA and partners to survey ships sunk off north Carolina in World War II
NOAA will lead a three-week research expedition in August to study World War II shipwrecks sunk in 1942 off the coast of North Carolina during the Battle of the Atlantic.
NOAA and partners to survey marine life at USS Monitor wreck site
NOAA will participate in a private research expedition to study marine life living on and around the wreck of the USS Monitor.
NOAA Report Finds Threats to California's Cordell Bank Marine Sanctuary
A new NOAA report on the health of Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary indicates that the overall condition of the sanctuary's marine life and habitats is fair to good, but identifies several emerging threats to sanctuary resources.
NOAA, USFWS study finds potential disease threats to Washington sea otters
Many of Washington State's sea otters are exposed to the same pathogens responsible for causing disease in marine mammal populations in other parts of the country.
Seamounts may serve as refuges for deep-sea animals that struggle to survive elsewhere
Over the last two decades, marine biologists have discovered lush forests of deep-sea corals and sponges growing on seamounts (underwater mountains) offshore of the California coast. It has generally been assumed that many of these animals live only on seamounts, and are found nowhere else.
NOAA and partners to survey German subs sunk off North Carolina during World War II
NOAA will lead a research expedition July 7-26 to study the wrecks of three German submarines sunk by U.S. forces in 1942 off the coast of North Carolina during the Battle of the Atlantic.
Dry Tortugas show positive trends: Protected area slowly rebounding
A team of 38 research divers from the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, NOAA Fisheries Service, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the National Park Service, REEF, and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington recently completed a successful 20-day biennial census to measure how the protected status of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary's Tortugas Ecological Reserve and Dry Tortugas National Park's Research Natural Area are helping the regional ecosystem rebound from decades of overfishing and environmental changes.
More Marine Sanctuary Current Events and Marine Sanctuary News Articles
 |
Stellwagen: The Making and Unmaking of a National Marine Sanctuary by Peter Borrelli (Author) The Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary is located at the mouth of Massachusetts Bay, only twenty-five miles east of Boston. The area's nutrient-rich waters attract a cornucopia of sea life--which in turn supports both recreational and commercial fisheries, along with a lucrative whale-watching industry. Peter Borrelli, who served on the sanctuary's federally appointed advisory council for more than ten years, provides an insider's view of the problems of managing a chronically under-funded marine preserve that is often of two minds about its mission. This is a sobering and well-considered examination of what happens when well-intentioned legislation meets the reality of trying to protect an extremely delicate and intensely popular ecosystem. |
 |
Key Largo Marine Sanctuary, Florida Photographic Poster Print by Bradley Ireland, 12x16 by Art.com Art.com is the world's largest retailer of art prints, posters, photographs, and framed artwork. With our huge selection of over 400,000 prints, you'll easily find the perfect piece for your home, office, or classroom. Our art is printed on quality paper. When you order framed artwork, the piece is built by our team of in-house professionals. Visit our Amazon store today at www.amazon.com/artdotcom to find Special Offers and search for products based on 'Artist Name' and 'Subject Categories' such as Movie, Music, Vintage, TV, Children, Travel, Kitchen, Museum Art, Animals, Floral, Motivational, and Sports. Art.com is dedicated to providing you with high quality products and service by offering you 100% satisfaction guaranteed. We ship internationally to over 80 countries. Decorate your... |
|
Dive Travel The Famous Kelp Forest and Giant Sea Bass La Jolla, San Diego, CA Directed By: TravelVideoStore.com | |
|
Exploring Point Reyes - Northern California Coast Directed By: Sandra Cannon Also With: SFBAYIMAGES.com (Producer), Emily Brower Auchard (Writer) Exploring Point Reyes8000 Acres of Natural Seashore + Rolling Grasslands BeautyAtmospheric Art for creating background ambience. Digital version of the coffee table photography book DESCRIPTION:Exploring Point Reyes - Northern California Pacific CoastlineWelcome to Point Reyes Seashore, . From crashing surf to the lighthouse that has guided mariners, to remote beaches and marine wildlife, to waterfalls meeting the pacific ocean to open expanses of grasslands and fogged in forested ridges and then views from above overlooking it all, this DVD explores Point Reyes Seashore. Fine art photography by award winning bay area photographer, Sandra Cannon, combined with an ecletic world cinematic style score, this 30 minute piece has an atmosphere of the natural rugged elegance of the historic... | |
 |
Stellwagen Bank: A Guide to the Whales, Sea Birds, and Marine Life of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary by Nathalie Ward (Author) |
 |
Channel Islands National Park and National Marine Sanctuary by Tim Hauf - Photographer (Author), Conger Beasley (Author), Jr. - Text (Author), Cheryl Carnahan (Editor) A short distance off the mainland of Southern California stand five intriguing islands that make up Channel Islands National Park. On a clear day the islands are easily viewable from just about anywhere along the coastline, from Point Conception to the Santa Monica Mountains. Relatively few visitors make the trip by boat or by plane across the Santa Barbara Channel to the unspoiled shores of these five islands. Those who do encounter a windswept paradise rich in both human and natural history. In this remarkable volume, veteran landscape photographer Tim Hauf captures the flora, fauna, cultural sites, and dramatic landscapes of the little-known Channel Islands. Included are tiny Santa Barbara Island, with its teeming plant and marine life; Anacapa, renown for its lighthouse and sea... |
 |
21st Century Guide to the Grayβs Reef National Marine Sanctuary β NOAA Protected Ecosystem, Marine Life, Mammals, Fish, Birds, Invertebrates, Plants, Reptiles (CD-ROM) by U.S. Government (Author) This up-to-date electronic book on CD-ROM provides comprehensive information on over 100 marine species at the Grayβs Reef National Marine Sanctuary, with biological information and photographs of marine mammals, fish, birds, invertebrates, plants, reptiles, and more. Grayβs Reef National Marine Sanctuary is one of the largest nearshore sandstone reefs in the southeastern United States. The series of rock ledges and sand expanses has produced a complex habitat of caves, burrows, troughs, and overhangs that provide a solid base for the abundant sessile invertebrates to attach and grow. This topography supports an unusual assemblage of temperate and tropical marine flora and fauna. The reef attracts numerous species of benthic and pelagic fish. Since Gray's Reef lies in a transition... |
 |
21st Century Guide to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary β NOAA Protected Ecosystem, Marine Life, Mammals, Fish, Birds, Invertebrates, Plants, Reptiles (CD-ROM) by U.S. Government (Author) This up-to-date electronic book on CD-ROM provides comprehensive information on over 100 marine species at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, with biological information and photographs of marine mammals, fish, birds, invertebrates, plants, reptiles, and more. Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary includes our nation's largest kelp forest, one of North America's largest underwater canyons and the closest-to-shore deep ocean environment in the continental United States. It is home to one of the most diverse marine ecosystems in the world, including 33 species of marine mammals, 94 species of seabirds, 345 species of fishes, and numerous invertebrates and plants. This remarkably productive marine environment is fringed by spectacular coastal scenery, including sandy beaches, rocky... |
 |
21st Century Guide to the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary β NOAA Protected Ecosystem, Marine Life, Mammals, Fish, Birds, Invertebrates, Plants, Reptiles (CD-ROM) by U.S. Government (Author) This up-to-date electronic book on CD-ROM provides comprehensive information on over 100 marine species at the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, with biological information and photographs of marine mammals, fish, birds, invertebrates, plants, reptiles, and more. Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary is home to a rich and diverse community of marine life. The shoreline topography and currents in this region facilitate mixing of cool, nutrient rich waters from the north with warmer waters from the south, creating a biologic transition zone that brims with life. The Channel Islands provides everyone with a plethora of outdoor activities to choose from. Kayaking to any of the five islands, whether it is for a day trip or for a couple of nights of camping, shows the... |
 |
21st Century Guide to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary β NOAA Protected Ecosystem, Marine Life, Mammals, Fish, Birds, Invertebrates, Plants, Reptiles (CD-ROM) by U.S. Government (Author) This up-to-date electronic book on CD-ROM provides comprehensive information on over 100 marine species at the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, with biological information and photographs of marine mammals, fish, birds, invertebrates, plants, reptiles, and more. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary was designated in 1990 and encompasses 2,900 square nautical miles surrounding the Florida Keys archipelago. The region is known world wide for its extensive offshore coral reefs; however, this subtropical region also sustains many other inter-dependent habitats including fringing mangroves, seagrass meadows, hardbottom regions, patch reefs, and bank reefs. The Florida Keys are a partial barrier between the warm-temperate waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the tropical to subtropical... |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |