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Incidental Harassment Authorization for the Non-Lethal Taking of Marine Mammals: Site Characterization Surveys

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Orsted Wind Power North America, LLC Application for Incidental Harassment Authorization for the Non-Lethal Taking of Marine Mammals: Site Characterization Surveys Lease OCS-A 0498 Prepared by CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. November 2020 Revised March 2021 Application for Incidental Harassment Authorization for the Non-Lethal Taking of Marine Mammals: Site Characterization Surveys Lease OCS-A 0498 DOCUMENT NO. CSA-ORSTED-FL-21-81107-3468-25-REP-01-FIN Version Date Description Prepared by: Reviewed by: Approved by: Initial draft for M. Barkaszi 01 09/23/19 M. Halvorsen M. Barkaszi client review K. Hartigan Client comment M. Barkaszi 02 10/02/19 M. Halvorsen M. Barkaszi revised K. Hartigan M. Barkaszi 03 09/21/2020 Revised draft G. Dodillet M. Barkaszi K. Hartigan 04 11/20/2020 Client revisions K. Hartigan M. Barkaszi M. Barkaszi FIN 03/11/2021 Final K. Hartigan Client M. Barkaszi The electronic PDF version of this document is the Controlled Master Copy at all times. A printed copy is considered to be uncontrolled and it is the holder’s responsibility to ensure that they have the current version. Controlled copies are available upon request from the Document Production Department. Suggested citation: CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. 2021. Application for incidental harassment authorization for the non-lethal taking of marine mammals: site characterization surveys Lease OCS-A 0498. Submitted to Orsted. November 2020, Revised March 2021. 81 pp. Table of Contents Page List of Tables ............................................................................................................................................... v List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................. vi List of Acronyms ....................................................................................................................................... vii 1.0 Description of Proposed Activities ................................................................................................... 1 1.1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ....................................................................................................... 1 1.2 ACTIVITIES CONSIDERED IN THIS APPLICATION......................................................... 3 1.2.1 Acoustic Analysis of Activities Considered in this Application .................................... 3 1.3 SURVEY EQUIPMENT ........................................................................................................... 6 1.3.1 Equipment Summary ..................................................................................................... 9 1.4 DISTANCES TO REGULATORY ACOUSTIC THRESHOLDS ......................................... 12 1.4.1 Environmental Assessments of Site Characterization Geophysical Sources ............... 13 2.0 Survey Dates, Duration, and Specific Geographic Region .......................................................... 15 2.1 SURVEY ACTIVITY DATES AND DURATION ................................................................ 15 2.2 SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC REGION ..................................................................................... 15 2.3 SURVEY ACTIVITIES .......................................................................................................... 15 3.0 Species and Numbers of Marine Mammals .................................................................................. 16 3.1 PROTECTED POPULATIONS .............................................................................................. 16 3.2 MARINE MAMMAL SPECIES ............................................................................................. 16 4.0 Affected Species Status and Distribution ...................................................................................... 20 4.1 MYSTICETES ........................................................................................................................ 21 4.1.1 North Atlantic Right Whale ......................................................................................... 21 4.1.2 Humpback Whale......................................................................................................... 23 4.1.3 Fin Whale ..................................................................................................................... 24 4.1.4 Sei Whale ..................................................................................................................... 25 4.1.5 Minke Whale ................................................................................................................ 26 4.2 ODONTOCETES .................................................................................................................... 27 4.2.1 Sperm Whale ................................................................................................................ 27 4.2.2 Risso’s Dolphin ............................................................................................................ 28 4.2.3 Long-finned Pilot Whale .............................................................................................. 28 4.2.4 Short-finned Pilot Whale ............................................................................................. 29 4.2.5 Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin ..................................................................................... 30 4.2.6 Common Dolphin ........................................................................................................ 31 4.2.7 Atlantic Spotted Dolphin ............................................................................................. 32 4.2.8 Common Bottlenose Dolphin ...................................................................................... 32 4.2.9 Harbor Porpoise ........................................................................................................... 34 4.3 PHOCIDS ................................................................................................................................ 35 4.3.1 Harbor Seal .................................................................................................................. 35 4.3.2 Gray Seal ...................................................................................................................... 35 5.0 Type of Incidental Take Requested ............................................................................................... 37 6.0 Take Estimates for Marine Mammals ........................................................................................... 38 6.1 BASIS FOR ESTIMATING NUMBERS OF MARINE MAMMALS THAT MIGHT BE TAKEN BY HARASSMENT ................................................................................................. 38 6.1.1 Zone of Influence Calculations .................................................................................... 39 Incidental Harassment Authorization - Site Characteriztion Suveys OCS-A 0498 iii Table of Contents (Continued) Page 6.1.2 Marine Mammal Density Calculation .......................................................................... 40 6.1.3 Take Calculation .......................................................................................................... 43 6.2 ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF MARINE MAMMALS THAT MIGHT BE TAKEN BY HARASSMENT ...................................................................................................................... 44 6.2.1 Estimated Level A Harassment of Marine Mammals .................................................. 44 6.2.2 Estimated Level B Harassment of Marine Mammals .................................................. 45 6.2.3 Requested Level B Takes ............................................................................................. 46 7.0 Effects on Marine Mammal Species or Stocks ............................................................................. 48 7.1 MITIGATION AND AVERSION .......................................................................................... 48 7.2 MULTIPLE EXPOSURES AND SEASONALITY ............................................................... 48 7.3 VOLUMETRIC DENSITY CALCULATIONS ..................................................................... 49 7.4 NEGLIGIBLE IMPACTS ....................................................................................................... 49 8.0 Minimization of Adverse Effects to Subsistence Uses .................................................................. 50 9.0 Anticipated Impacts on Habitat ..................................................................................................... 51 9.1 SHORT-TERM IMPACTS ..................................................................................................... 51 9.2 LONG-TERM IMPACTS ....................................................................................................... 51 10.0 Anticipated Effects of Habitat Impacts on Marine Mammals .................................................... 52 10.1 SHORT-TERM IMPACTS ..................................................................................................... 52 10.2 LONG-TERM IMPACTS ....................................................................................................... 52 11.0 Mitigation Measures ....................................................................................................................... 53 11.1 VESSEL STRIKE AVOIDANCE PROCEDURES ...............................................................
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