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Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species: 2010-2014

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Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species: 2010-2014 OCS Study BOEM 2017-071 Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species: 2010-2014 US Department of the Interior Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Headquarters OCS Study BOEM 2017-071 Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species: 2010-2014 September 2017 Authors Palka, Chavez-Rosales, Josephson, Cholewiak, Haas, Garrison, Jones, Sigourney, Waring (retired), Jech, Broughton, Soldevilla, Davis, DeAngelis, Sasso, Winton, Smolowitz, Fay, LaBrecque, Leiness, Dettloff, Warden, Murray, Orphanides Prepared under M10PG00075 By National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service Northeast Fisheries Science Center Protected Species Branch 166 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026 National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Fisheries Science Center 75 Virginia Beach Dr. Key Biscayne, FL 33149 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Migratory Birds, Northeast Region 11510 American Holly Dr. Laurel, MD 20708-4017 US Department of the Interior Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Headquarters DISCLAIMER This study was funded, in part, by the US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Environmental Studies Program, Washington, DC, through Inter-Agency Agreement Number M10PG00075 with the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 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 US 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 website at www.boem.gov/Environmental-Studies-EnvData/, click on the link for the Environmental Studies Program Information System (ESPIS), and search on 2017- 071. CITATION Palka, D.L., S. Chavez-Rosales, E. Josephson, D. Cholewiak, H.L. Haas, L. Garrison, M. Jones, D. Sigourney, G. Waring (retired), M. Jech, E. Broughton, M. Soldevilla, G. Davis, A. DeAngelis, C.R. Sasso, M.V.Winton, R.J. Smolowitz, G. Fay, E. LaBrecque, J.B. Leiness, Dettloff, M. Warden, K. Murray, and C. Orphanides. 2017. Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species: 2010-2014. US Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Atlantic OCS Region, Washington, DC. OCS Study BOEM 2017-071. 211 pp. ABOUT THE COVER The cover is a compilation of various work conducted as part of the AMAPPS project including surveys of cetaceans, sea turtles, seals, seabirds, and general ecosystem conditions. The photos are courtesy of Deborah Palka of the National Marine Fisheries Service and arranged by Stephanie Struthers of BOEM. Surveys and pictures were done under MMPA permit numbers 17355 and 16556 issued to the Northeast Fisheries Science Center and MMPA permit number 14450 issued to the Southeast Fisheries Science Center. ii iii Contents List of Tables ...........................................................................................................................vii List of Figures ..........................................................................................................................ix Abbreviations and Acronyms .................................................................................................xi 1 Synthesis and Summary .................................................................................................. 1 2 Introduction ......................................................................................................................14 3 Background and Objectives ............................................................................................18 4 Organization of the Report ..............................................................................................23 5 Density and Abundance Research using Line Transect Data ......................................24 5.1 Introduction ......................................................................... 24 5.2 Methods .............................................................................. 26 5.2.1 Study Region and Strata Definitions ................................................................................... 27 5.2.2 Input Data ............................................................................................................................ 32 5.2.3 Analysis Methods ................................................................................................................ 40 5.2.4 Website Development ......................................................................................................... 47 5.3 Results ............................................................................... 47 5.3.1 Overview of Input Data ........................................................................................................ 47 5.3.2 Fin/Sei Whale Sightings ...................................................................................................... 57 5.3.3 Important Variables and Abundance ................................................................................... 58 5.3.4 Fine Scale Inferences ......................................................................................................... 66 5.3.5 Hot Spot Patterns ................................................................................................................ 67 5.3.6 Web Site .............................................................................................................................. 75 5.4 Discussion .......................................................................... 76 5.4.1 Density Models .................................................................................................................... 77 5.4.2 Hot Spots ............................................................................................................................. 79 5.4.3 Bayesian Hierarchical Framework ...................................................................................... 80 5.4.4 Comparison with Other Studies .......................................................................................... 82 5.4.5 Significant Findings ............................................................................................................. 88 5.4.6 Data Gaps and Future Research ........................................................................................ 89 5.5 Acknowledgments .............................................................. 91 6 Offshore Seabird Research .............................................................................................92 6.1 Introduction ......................................................................... 92 6.2 Methods .............................................................................. 92 6.3 Results ............................................................................... 93 6.4 Acknowledgments .............................................................. 93 7 Coastal Seabird Research ...............................................................................................99 iv 7.1 Introduction ......................................................................... 99 7.2 Methods .............................................................................. 99 7.2.1 Survey Design ..................................................................................................................... 99 7.2.2 Survey Procedures .............................................................................................................. 99 7.2.3 Data and File Management ............................................................................................... 103 7.2.4 Training ............................................................................................................................. 104 7.2.5 Seabird Key Site Maps ...................................................................................................... 106 7.3 Results ............................................................................. 107 7.3.1 Field Work ......................................................................................................................... 107 7.3.2 Raw Density Estimates ..................................................................................................... 117 7.3.3 Seabird Key Site Maps ...................................................................................................... 117 7.4 Acknowledgments ............................................................ 118 8 Passive Acoustic Research...........................................................................................123 8.1 Introduction ....................................................................... 123 8.2 Towed Hydrophone Array Projects ................................... 124 8.2.1 Field Activities ................................................................................................................... 124 8.2.2 Sperm Whale Acoustic Abundance Estimate ................................................................... 126 8.2.3 Distribution of Passive Acoustic Detections of Beaked Whales ....................................... 129 8.2.4 Effect of Echosounders on Detection Rates ....................................................................
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