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Environmental Assessment of a Marine Geophysical Survey by the R/V Endeavor in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, August 2009

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Environmental Assessment of a Marine Geophysical Survey by the R/V Endeavor in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, August 2009 Environmental Assessment of a Marine Geophysical Survey by the R/V Endeavor in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, August 2009 Prepared for Rice University Department of Earth Science 6100 Main Street, MS 126 Houston, TX 77005 and National Science Foundation Division of Ocean Sciences 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 725 Arlington, VA 22230 by LGL Ltd., environmental research associates 22 Fisher St., POB 280 King City, Ont. L7B 1A6 12 May 2009 LGL Report TA4760-1 Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................................... VI LIST OF ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................. VIII I. PURPOSE AND NEED ................................................................................................................................ 1 II. ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING PROPOSED ACTION ................................................................................. 2 Proposed Action ................................................................................................................................ 2 (1) Project Objectives and Context .......................................................................................... 2 (2) Proposed Activities ............................................................................................................. 2 (3) Monitoring and Mitigation Measures ................................................................................. 6 Alternative Action: Another Time ................................................................................................ 13 No Action Alternative ..................................................................................................................... 13 III. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................................. 13 Physical Environment and Oceanography ................................................................................... 13 Protected Areas ............................................................................................................................... 14 Marine Mammals ........................................................................................................................... 16 (1) Mysticetes ......................................................................................................................... 16 (2) Odontocetes ...................................................................................................................... 26 (3) Pinnipeds .......................................................................................................................... 35 Seabirds ........................................................................................................................................... 37 (1) Roseate Tern ..................................................................................................................... 37 Sea Turtles ....................................................................................................................................... 38 (1) Leatherback Turtle ........................................................................................................... 38 (2) Loggerhead Turtle ............................................................................................................ 39 (3) Kemp’s ridley turtle .......................................................................................................... 41 (4) Green turtle ....................................................................................................................... 41 Fish Resources ................................................................................................................................ 42 ESA-listed Species ................................................................................................................. 43 Commercial Species ............................................................................................................... 44 Recreational Species .............................................................................................................. 49 Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) ........................................................................................................ 51 Habitats of Particular Concern (HAPC) ...................................................................................... 51 Corals ............................................................................................................................................... 54 IV. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .................................................................................................. 54 Proposed Action .............................................................................................................................. 54 (1) Direct Effects and Their Significance .............................................................................. 54 (2) Mitigation Measures ......................................................................................................... 69 (3) Numbers of Marine Mammals that Could be “Taken by Harassment” ............................ 69 (4) Direct Effects on Fish and Their Significance .................................................................. 74 Environmental Assessment for the Northwest Atlantic Ocean Page iii Table of Contents (5) Direct Effects on Invertebrates and Their Significance .................................................... 77 (6) Direct Effects on EFH and HAPC .................................................................................... 78 (7) Direct Effects on Seabirds and Their Significance ........................................................... 78 (8) Indirect Effects on Marine Mammals, Sea Turtles, and Their Significance .................... 79 (9) Cumulative Effects ........................................................................................................... 79 (10) Unavoidable Impacts ...................................................................................................... 84 (11) Coordination with Other Agencies and Processes .......................................................... 85 Alternative Action: Another Time ................................................................................................ 85 No Action Alternative ..................................................................................................................... 85 V. LIST OF PREPARERS .............................................................................................................................. 86 VI. LITERATURE CITED ............................................................................................................................ 87 Marine Mammals and Acoustics ................................................................................................... 87 Sea Turtles, Seabirds, Fish, and Other ....................................................................................... 106 APPENDIX A: REVIEW OF THE EFFECTS OF AIRGUN SOUNDS ON MARINE MAMMALS .................. 118 1. Categories of Noise Effects...................................................................................................... 118 2. Hearing Abilities of Marine Mammals .................................................................................. 118 2.1 Toothed Whales ............................................................................................................ 119 2.2 Baleen Whales ............................................................................................................... 119 2.3 Seals and Sea Lions ....................................................................................................... 120 2.4 Manatees and Dugong ................................................................................................... 120 2.5 Sea Otter and Polar Bear ................................................................................................ 121 3. Characteristics of Airgun Sounds .......................................................................................... 121 4. Masking Effects of Airgun Sounds ......................................................................................... 123 5. Disturbance by Seismic Surveys ............................................................................................. 124 5.1 Baleen Whales ................................................................................................................ 125 5.2 Toothed Whales ............................................................................................................. 130 5.3 Pinnipeds ........................................................................................................................ 136 5.4 Sirenians, Sea Otter and Polar Bear ............................................................................... 137 6. Hearing Impairment and Other Physical Effects of Seismic Surveys ................................ 138 6.1 Temporary Threshold Shift (TTS) ................................................................................. 139 6.2 Permanent Threshold Shift (PTS) .................................................................................
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