Passive Acoustic Monitoring Projects and Sound Sources in the Gulf of Mexico
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OCS Study BOEM 2020-009 Literature Synthesis: Passive Acoustic Monitoring Projects and Sound Sources in the Gulf of Mexico U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Ocean Energy Management New Orleans Office OCS Study BOEM 2020-009 Literature Synthesis: Passive Acoustic Monitoring Projects and Sounds Sources in the Gulf of Mexico Authors Jennifer N. Latusek-Nabholz Amy D. Whitt Dagmar Fertl Dennis R. Gallien Anwar A. Khan Natalia Sidorovskaia Prepared under BOEM Contract M17PC00001 by HDR, Inc. 300 N. Madison Street Athens, Georgia 35611 Published by U.S. Department of the Interior New Orleans, LA Bureau of Ocean Energy Management January 2020 New Orleans Office DISCLAIMER Study concept, oversight, and funding were provided by the US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Environmental Studies Program, Washington, DC, under Contract Number M17PC00001, Task Order No. M17PD00011. This report has been technically reviewed by BOEM, and it has been approved for publication. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. government, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. REPORT AVAILABILITY To download a PDF file of this report, go to the US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Data and Information Systems webpage (http://www.boem.gov/Environmental-Studies- EnvData/), click on the link for the Environmental Studies Program Information System (ESPIS), and search on 2020-009. The report is also available at the National Technical Reports Library at https://ntrl.ntis.gov/NTRL/. CITATION Latusek-NabholzJN, Whitt AD, Fertl D, Gallien DR, Ampela K, Khan AA, Sidorovskaia N. 2020. Literature synthesis on passive acoustic monitoring projects and sound sources in the Gulf of MexicoNew Orleans (LA): US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Contract No.: M17PC00001. OCS Study BOEM 2020-009. 99 p. ABOUT THE COVER Photo credits: (Top) glider and towed acoustic transponder set for test deployment, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California San Diego; (bottom left) sperm whale with DTAG (digital- recording acoustic tags) deployed during Sperm Whale Seismic Study (SWSS), Texas A&M University; (bottom right) autonomous surface vehicles getting ready to work in the Gulf of Mexico, Littoral Acoustic Demonstration Center. Acknowledgements Tre Glenn, PhD, served as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative and provided guidance and support throughout the contract period. This report is the first deliverable under the “Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) Program for the Northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM)” IDIQ Contract No. M17PC00001, Task Order No. M17PD00011. The HDR BOEM PAM Program for the Northern GOM implementation team includes the following subcontractors: • University of Rhode Island • University of Louisiana, Lafayette • Cornell University • Oregon State University • St. Andrews University • Azura Consulting, LLC • Oceanside Science Institute • Marine Acoustics, Inc. • Abakai International, LLC • Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution • Southall Environmental Associates, Inc. Assistance and support from all team members are greatly appreciated. i Contents Summary .................................................................................................................................................................... viii Purpose viii Approach ................................................................................................................................................................. viii Key Findings and Recommendations ...................................................................................................................... viii 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 10 1.1 Study Background .............................................................................................................................................. 10 1.2 Literature Review Goals, Purposes, and Objectives .......................................................................................... 11 1.3 Report Organization ........................................................................................................................................... 11 2. Approach ................................................................................................................................................................ 12 2.1.1 Oceanographic and Other Features of the Study Area .............................................................................. 12 2.1.2 Study Area Acoustic Zones ........................................................................................................................ 15 2.2 Literature and Database Search Methods .......................................................................................................... 16 3. Current and Past Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) Projects in the Gulf of Mexico and Related Research Approaches ...................................................................................................................................... 18 3.1 Basic Underwater Acoustic Terminology and Metrics......................................................................................... 18 3.2 Field Methods to Measure and Assess Ambient and Anthropogenic Underwater Noise Levels in the Gulf of Mexico .................................................................................................................................................... 19 3.2.1 Autonomous Acoustic Instruments ............................................................................................................. 19 3.2.1.1 Environmental Acoustic Recording System (EARS): Littoral Acoustic Demonstration Center (LADC) ambient noise studies in Mississippi Valley-Canyon region, 2001–2017 ........................................................................... 19 3.2.1.2 High-frequency acoustic recording package (HARP): ambient noise in the Gulf of Mexico, 2010–2013 ....................... 21 3.2.1.3 Marine autonomous recording units (MARUs): anthropogenic noise across the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico shelf ecosystem, 2010–2012 ............................................................................................................................... 21 3.2.1.4 EARS: source characterization study, 2007 ................................................................................................................... 22 3.2.1.5 EARS: long-term ambient noise statistics in the Gulf of Mexico, 2004–2005 ................................................................. 22 3.2.1.6 Noise level effects on manatee habitat use, 2003–2004 ................................................................................................ 22 3.2.1.7 EARS: source characterization study, 2003 ................................................................................................................... 23 3.2.1.8 PAM studies to detect, localize, and characterize marine mammals in the Gulf of Mexico ............................................ 23 3.2.2 Fixed Autonomous Acoustic Recording Devices ........................................................................................ 23 3.2.2.1 High-frequency acoustic recording package ................................................................................................................... 23 3.2.2.2 Digital spectrogram recorders ......................................................................................................................................... 24 3.2.3 Mobile Acoustic Recording Systems .......................................................................................................... 25 3.2.3.1 Gliders ............................................................................................................................................................................. 25 3.2.3.2 Autonomous surface vehicles and/or unoccupied underwater vehicles (with towed arrays) .......................................... 27 3.2.3.3 PAM arrays towed from vessels ..................................................................................................................................... 28 3.2.4 Tags 31 3.2.4.1 The Coastal Alabama Acoustic Monitoring Program, 2009–2017 .................................................................................. 31 3.2.4.2 The Sperm Whale Seismic Study (SWSS) Program, 2002–2003 .................................................................................. 31 3.2.4.3 The Sperm Whale Acoustic Monitoring Program (SWAMP), 2000–2001 ....................................................................... 32 3.2.5 Sonobuoys ................................................................................................................................................. 32 3.2.5.1 Bryde's whale sonobuoys, 2011 ..................................................................................................................................... 32 3.2.5.2 The Department of the Navy Empress II Sonobuoys, 1991–1992 ................................................................................. 33 3.3 Analysis Methods for