AMENDED NMFS INCIDENTAL HARASSMENT AUTHORIZATION APPLICATION SPECTRUM GEO INC. ATLANTIC 2D GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY 18 September 2015 Related Environmental Document Atlantic OCS Proposed Geological and Geophysical Activities Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic Planning Areas Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (OCS EIS/EA BOEM 2014-001) Prepared by: On behalf of: CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. Spectrum Geo Inc. 8502 SW Kansas Avenue 16225 Park Ten Place, Suite 300 Stuart, Florida 34997 Houston, Texas 77084 Telephone: 772-219-3000 Telephone: 281-647-0602 NMFS INCIDENTAL HARASSMENT AUTHORIZATION APPLICATION SPECTRUM GEO INC. ATLANTIC 2D GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY DOCUMENT NO. CSA-SPECTRUM-FL-14-2611-01 REP-01-VER04 VERSION DATE DESCRIPTION PREPARED BY: REVIEWED BY: APPROVED BY: Application M. Cahill, K. Olsen, J. M. Cahill, 01 8/15/14 Submittal S. Viada Harney S. Viada Incorporate NMFS M. Cahill, 02 10/5/14 K. Olsen K. Olsen comments S. Viada Incorporate NMFS 03 5/14/15 K. Olsen MJ. Barkaszi K. Olsen comments Address NMFS 04 7/6/15 K. Olsen M. Cahill K. Olsen comments Remove Detailed J. Young, MJ. 05 9/18/15 K. Olsen K. Olsen Grid 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 revision. Controlled copies are available on the Management System network site or on request from the Document Production team. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Tables .............................................................................................................................................. vi List of Figures............................................................................................................................................ vii Acronyms and Abbreviations ................................................................................................................. viii 1.0 Description of the Activities ................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 General Description of Activities ............................................................................................... 1 1.2 Vessel Specifications .................................................................................................................. 3 1.3 Description of Proposed 2D Seismic Surveys ............................................................................ 3 2.0 Dates, Duration, and Location of the Activities ................................................................................ 5 2.1 Survey Dates and Duration ......................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Specific Geographic Region ....................................................................................................... 5 3.0 Marine Mammal Species and Abundance in the Proposed Survey Area .......................................6 4.0 Affected Species Status and Distribution........................................................................................... 7 4.1 Listed Marine Mammals ........................................................................................................... 12 North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis) .................................................................. 12 Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) ...................................................................................... 16 Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) ......................................................................................... 16 Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae).......................................................................... 17 Sei Whale (Balaenoptera borealis)........................................................................................... 17 Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus).................................................................................. 18 4.2 Nonlisted Marine Mammals......................................................................................................18 Bryde’s Whale (Balaenoptera brydei)...................................................................................... 18 Common Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata acutorostrata) ......................................... 19 Beaked Whales.......................................................................................................................... 19 Stenella Dolphins ...................................................................................................................... 20 Pygmy and Dwarf Sperm Whales (Kogia breviceps and K. sima) ........................................... 20 Harbor Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) .................................................................................... 21 Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus).................................................................................. 21 Killer Whale (Orcinus orca)..................................................................................................... 24 Pygmy Killer Whale (Feresa attenuata)................................................................................... 24 False Killer Whale (Pseudorca crassidens).............................................................................. 24 Risso’s Dolphin (Grampus griseus).......................................................................................... 25 Pilot Whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus and G. melas)..................................................... 25 Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis)............................................................... 25 Melon-headed Whale (Peponocephala electra) ....................................................................... 26 Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus)......................................................... 26 White-beaked Dolphin (Lagenodelphis albirostris) ................................................................. 27 Fraser’s Dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei) ................................................................................... 27 Rough-Toothed Dolphin (Steno bredanensis) .......................................................................... 27 Seals .................................................................................................................................... 28 Spectrum Atlantic IHA iii CSA-Spectrum-FL-14-2611-01 REP-01-VER05 5.0 Type of Incidental Take Requested .................................................................................................. 30 6.0 Numbers of Marine Mammals that Might be Taken ......................................................................31 7.0 Effects to Marine Mammal Species or Stocks ................................................................................. 33 7.1 POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF ACOUSTIC SOUND SOURCES ON MARINE MAMMALS. 33 7.1.1 Death and Non-Auditory Physiological Effects ......................................................... 33 7.1.2 Auditory Injuries – Hearing Threshold Shift.............................................................. 34 7.1.3 Masking...................................................................................................................... 36 7.1.4 Stress, Disturbance, and Behavioral Responses ......................................................... 37 7.2 Acoustic Modeling Methods Summary .................................................................................... 39 7.2.1 Airgun Array Source Model....................................................................................... 39 7.2.2 Acoustic Propagation Models .................................................................................... 40 7.2.3 Acoustic Propagation Modeling Results .................................................................... 41 7.3 Animal Acoustic Exposure Modeling Summary ...................................................................... 42 7.3.1 Animal Modeling Methodology ................................................................................. 42 7.3.2 Modeling of the Sound Source Movement ................................................................. 46 7.3.3 Modeling Animal Movement ..................................................................................... 46 7.3.4 Mitigation Simulation ................................................................................................ 47 7.4. Seismic Survey Related Incidental Take ................................................................................... 47 7.4.1 Level A Incidental Exposure Estimates Using Current Regulatory Criteria .............. 48 7.4.2 Level B Incidental Exposure Estimates Using Current Regulatory Threshold .......... 50 7.4.3 Sound Exposure Level (SEL) and Southall Criteria Exposure Estimates .................. 52 7.4.4 Draft Guidance on Underwater Acoustic Thresholds for onset of PTS ..................... 53 7.4.5 Conclusions ................................................................................................................ 55 7.4.6 Comparative Discussion of Exposure Estimates ........................................................ 57 8.0 Minimization of Adverse Effects to Subsistence Uses .....................................................................61 9.0 Effects to Marine Mammals from Loss or Modification of Habitat and the Likelihood of Restoration