Effects of Noise on Fish, Fisheries, and Invertebrates in the U.S. Atlantic and Arctic from Energy Industry Sound-Generating Activities
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Effects of Noise on Fish, Fisheries, and Invertebrates in the U.S. Atlantic and Arctic from Energy Industry Sound-Generating Activities Literature Synthesis U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Ocean Energy Management February 13, 2012 Effects of Noise on Fish, Fisheries, and Invertebrates in the U.S. Atlantic and Arctic from Energy Industry Sound-Generating Activities Draft Literature Synthesis Principal Authors Anthony D. Hawkins Arthur N. Popper Prepared under BOEM Contract M11PC00031 by Normandeau Associates, Inc. 25 Nashua Rd. Bedford, NH 03110 Published by U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Ocean Energy Management DISCLAIMER This Literature Synthesis was prepared under contract between the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and Normandeau Associates, Inc. The document has been technically reviewed by the BOEM and has been approved for publication. Approval does not signify that the contents necessarily reflect the view and policies of BOEM, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendations for use. It is, however, exempt from review and in compliance with BOEM editorial standards. AVAILABILITY Copies of this report may be obtained from BOEM’s Environmental Studies Program Information System (ESPIS) at the following website: http://www.data.boem.gov/homepg/data_center/other/espis/espismaster.asp?appid=1 CITATION Suggested Citation: Normandeau Associates, Inc. 2012. Effects of Noise on Fish, Fisheries, and Invertebrates in the U.S. Atlantic and Arctic from Energy Industry Sound-Generating Activities. A Literature Synthesis for the U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Contract # M11PC00031. 153 pp. ABOUT THE COVER Cover photos courtesy of Norwegian Meteorological Institute (ship), BOEM (oil platform), and Laszlo Ilyes (school of fish). All rights reserved. Table of Contents Table of Contents List of Figures ........................................................................................................... v List of Tables ........................................................................................................... vii Acronyms and Abbreviations ................................................................................... ix 1 Background and Overview ................................................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................1 1.2 Additional Literature Reviews and Syntheses ..........................................................2 1.3 Animals of Interest .......................................................................................................3 1.4 Definitions .....................................................................................................................4 1.5 Natural Sounds in the Sea ...........................................................................................5 1.6 The Big Questions ........................................................................................................6 2 Decision-Making Framework ............................................................................ 8 3 Identification of Priority Habitats, Species, and Fisheries ............................. 11 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................11 3.2 Habitat and Ecosystem Characteristics ...................................................................11 3.2.1 Arctic OCS Region .........................................................................................11 3.2.2 Atlantic OCS Region ......................................................................................14 3.3 Fisheries ......................................................................................................................21 3.3.1 Fisheries in the Arctic OCS Region ...............................................................21 3.3.2 Fisheries in the Atlantic OCS Region ............................................................22 3.4 Species of Importance ................................................................................................28 3.4.1 Arctic OCS Region .........................................................................................28 3.4.2 Atlantic OCS Region ......................................................................................28 3.5 Priorities......................................................................................................................30 4 Naturally Occurring Sounds in the Sea .......................................................... 31 4.1 Background Levels of Sound in the Sea ...................................................................31 4.2 Conserving Acoustic Environments with Special Characteristics ........................35 5 Biological Sources of Sound in the Areas of Interest ..................................... 36 5.1 Invertebrates ..............................................................................................................36 5.2 Fishes ...........................................................................................................................38 i Effects of Noise on Fish, Fisheries, and Invertebrates: A Literature Synthesis 6 Sources of Man-Made Sound .......................................................................... 40 6.1 Different Man-Made Sound Sources and their Characteristics ............................41 6.1.1 Explosions ......................................................................................................41 6.1.2 Seismic Airguns .............................................................................................42 6.1.3 Impact Pile Driving ........................................................................................43 6.1.4 Dredging .........................................................................................................44 6.1.5 Operating Wind Farms ...................................................................................45 6.1.6 Vessel Noise ...................................................................................................45 6.1.7 Fishing ............................................................................................................46 6.1.8 Sonar ...............................................................................................................47 6.1.9 Other Continuous Sounds ...............................................................................47 6.2 The Relevant Stimuli .................................................................................................48 6.3 Characterization of Man-Made Sound Sources ......................................................48 7 Sound Exposure Metrics .................................................................................. 49 7.1 Acoustic Measures and Terminology .......................................................................49 7.2 Measurements Applicable to Fishes and Invertebrates .........................................50 7.3 Noise Exposure Criteria ............................................................................................51 8 Effects of Man-Made Sounds: An Overview ................................................... 52 9 Hearing and Sound Detection .......................................................................... 54 9.1 Invertebrates ..............................................................................................................56 9.2 Fishes ...........................................................................................................................58 9.3 Anatomy and Mechanics of Sound Detectors in Fish .............................................63 9.4 Additional Questions on Fish Hearing: Fish Functional Hearing Groups ...........64 9.5 Additional Questions on Fish Hearing: Hearing Characteristics of Fishes..........65 9.6 Sound Source Perception: Auditory Scene Analysis ..............................................65 10 Effects of Sound on Fish and Invertebrates .................................................... 66 10.1 Effects of Sounds on Invertebrates ...........................................................................66 10.2 Effects of Sounds on Sharks and Rays .....................................................................67 10.3 Fish Behavior in the Presence of Man-Made Noise ................................................68 10.4 Effects on Populations ...............................................................................................72 10.5 Effects on Fish Catches ..............................................................................................72 10.6 Effects in Terms of Masking .....................................................................................73 10.7 Auditory Threshold Shift ..........................................................................................75 ii Table of Contents 10.8 Effects on the Lateral Line ........................................................................................77 10.9 Effects in Terms of Stress and Arousal ....................................................................77 10.10 Effects in Terms of Death or Injury .........................................................................78 10.11 Damage to Non-Auditory Tissues .............................................................................79