Joint Industry Programme
CETACEAN STOCK ASSESSMENT IN RELATION TO EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION INDUSTRY SOUND by Prepared for Joint Industry Programme 30 September 2009 LGL Report TA4582-1 CETACEAN STOCK ASSESSMENT IN RELATION TO EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION INDUSTRY SOUND by LGL Limited, environmental research associates 22 Fisher Street, POB 280 King City, Ontario, Canada L7B 1A6 9768 Second Street Sidney, British Columbia, Canada V8L 3Y8 and LGL Alaska Research Associates Inc. 1101 East 76th Avenue, Suite B Anchorage, Alaska, United States 99518 Prepared for Joint Industry Programme 30 September 2009 LGL Report TA4582-1 Executive Summary Purpose and Objectives This project investigated the relationship between the oil industry‘s offshore E&P activities and trends in the distribution, abundance and rates of increase of key cetacean stocks found in three areas where E&P activities are intensive. The approach taken was to compare the status and population trends of stocks of key cetacean species in three areas with E&P activities―Alaska (subdivided into three regions, the Beaufort, Bering and Chukchi seas), Australia (Western and southeast regions), and Sakhalin Island, Russia―with corresponding parameters for stocks of the same species (where possible) in areas where E&P activities were absent or greatly reduced. The project involved a critical review of existing and historical data on cetacean stocks, and a compilation of data on E&P activities and non-industry factors that may have influenced stocks, in the areas of interest. Data were assessed in terms of quality, quantity, and temporal and spatial coverage to determine whether sufficient data were available for a reasonable assessment of correlations between cetacean populations and E&P activities.
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