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Environmental Assessment of Planned Low Erngy Marine Seismic

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Environmental Assessment of Planned Low Erngy Marine Seismic Environmental Assessment of a Planned Low-Energy Marine Seismic Survey by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in the Northeast Indian Ocean, May–August 2007 prepared for Scripps Institution of Oceanography 8602 La Jolla Shores Drive La Jolla, CA. 92037 and National Science Foundation Division of Ocean Sciences 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 725 Arlington, VA 22230 by LGL Limited, environmental research associates 22 Fisher St., POB 280 King City, ON L7B 1A6 4 January 2007 LGL Report TA4410-1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ...........................................................................................................................V LIST OF ACRONYMS......................................................................................................... VII 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) Mitigation Measures.......................................................................................................... 7 Alternative Action: Another Time....................................................................................11 No Action Alternative ........................................................................................................12 III AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................ 12 Physical Environment........................................................................................................12 Marine Mammals ...............................................................................................................13 Mysticetes .............................................................................................................................. 15 Odontocetes.......................................................................................................................... 202 Pinnipeds.............................................................................................................................. 379 Sea Turtles ..........................................................................................................................39 Leatherback Turtle ................................................................................................................. 39 Loggerhead Turtle.................................................................................................................. 40 Green Turtle ........................................................................................................................... 41 Hawksbill Turtle .................................................................................................................... 42 Olive Ridley Turtle ................................................................................................................ 43 IV. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES.......................................................................... 45 Proposed Action..................................................................................................................45 (1) Direct Effects and their Significance............................................................................... 45 (2) Mitigation Measures........................................................................................................56 (3) Numbers of Marine Mammals that May be “Taken by Harassment” ............................. 57 (4) Indirect Effects and Their Significance........................................................................... 65 (5) Cumulative Effects .......................................................................................................... 70 (6) Unavoidable Impacts....................................................................................................... 72 Alternative Action: Another Time....................................................................................72 No Action Alternative ........................................................................................................73 V. LIST OF PREPARERS .................................................................................................... 74 VI. LITERATURE CITED .................................................................................................. 75 Marine Mammals and Acoustics ......................................................................................75 SIO Environmental Assessment for the northeastern Indian Ocean Page iii Table of Contents Sea Turtles, Fish, and Other .............................................................................................89 APPENDIX A: Review of Potential Impacts of airgun sounds on marine mammals ................................................................................................................. 98 (a) Categories of Noise Effects...........................................................................................98 (b) Hearing Abilities of Marine Mammals.......................................................................99 Toothed Whales ..................................................................................................................... 99 Baleen Whales........................................................................................................................ 99 Pinnipeds.............................................................................................................................. 100 Sirenians............................................................................................................................... 100 (c) Characteristics of Airgun Pulses ...............................................................................101 (d) Masking Effects of Seismic Surveys..........................................................................102 (e) Disturbance by Seismic Surveys................................................................................103 Baleen Whales...................................................................................................................... 104 Toothed Whales ................................................................................................................... 107 Pinnipeds.............................................................................................................................. 110 (f) Hearing Impairment and Other Physical Effects...................................................1112 Temporary Threshold Shift.................................................................................................. 112 Permanent Threshold Shift................................................................................................... 115 (g) Strandings and Mortality.........................................................................................1167 (h) Non-auditory Physiological Effects...........................................................................118 Literature Cited............................................................................................................11920 APPENDIX B: Review of Potential Impacts of airgun sounds on Sea Turtles ....... 129 Sea Turtle Hearing...........................................................................................................129 Effects of Airgun Pulses on Behavior and Movements.................................................131 Possible Impacts of Airgun Sounds ................................................................................133 Hearing Loss ........................................................................................................................ 133 Behavioral and Distributional Effects.................................................................................. 134 Conclusions .......................................................................................................................135 Literature Cited................................................................................................................135 SIO Environmental Assessment for the northeastern Indian Ocean Page iv Abstract ABSTRACT The Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), with research funding from the National Science Foundation, plans to conduct a scientific rock-dredging, magnetic, bathymetric, and seismic survey program at nine sites on the Ninety East Ridge in the northeastern Indian Ocean for ~55 days during May–August 2007. The results will be used to study the morphology, structure, and tectonics of ridge volcanoes, to infer the magmatic evolution of the ridge, and to survey broad characteristics of subseafloor in order to refine the planning of an IODP drilling proposal. The project would be in International Waters. SIO has applied for the issuance of an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to authorize the incidental harassment of small numbers of marine mammals during the seismic survey. The information in this Environmental
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