DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF MARINE GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS BY THE R/V MARCUS G. LANGSETH FOR THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COLLABORATIVE OFFSHORE GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY Submitted to: National Science Foundation Division of Ocean Sciences 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 725 Arlington, VA 22230 Submitted by: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD 8675 Discovery Way La Jolla, CA 92023 Contact: Professor Neal Driscoll 858.822.5026; [email protected] Prepared by: Padre Associates, Inc. 5290 Overpass Road, Suite 217 Goleta, CA 93113 June 2012 Southern California Collaborative Offshore Geophysical Survey (SCCOGS) Environmental Assessment TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 PURPOSE AND NEED ................................................................................................... 1 2.0 ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING PROPOSED ACTION ...................................................... 6 2.1 PROPOSED ACTION ......................................................................................... 6 2.2 PROJECT LOCATION ........................................................................................ 6 2.3 PROJECT ACTIVITIES ....................................................................................... 6 2.3.1 Mobilization and Demobilization .............................................................. 9 2.3.2 Offshore Survey Operations .................................................................... 9 2.3.2.1 Survey Vessel Specifications ..................................................... 10 2.3.2.2 Air Gun Description .................................................................... 10 2.3.2.3 Hydrophone Streamer Description ............................................. 11 2.3.2.4 Ocean Bottom Seismometer ...................................................... 12 2.3.3 Acoustic Measurements ........................................................................ 15 2.3.4 Other Geophysical Equipment ............................................................... 17 2.3.4.1 Multibeam Echosounder and Sub-Bottom Profiler ...................... 17 2.3.4.2 Gravimeter (Bgm-3) ................................................................... 18 2.3.4.3 Magnetometer (G-882) .............................................................. 19 2.3.5 Onshore Survey Operations .................................................................. 19 2.4 PROJECT PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT .................................................... 20 2.4.1 Equipment Requirements ...................................................................... 20 2.4.2 Personnel Requirements ....................................................................... 20 2.5 PROJECT SCHEDULE ..................................................................................... 21 2.6 MONITORING AND MITIGATION MEASURES ................................................ 21 2.6.1 Vessel-based Marine Wildlife Contingency Plan (MWCP) )/IHA Implementation Plan (Implementation Plan) .......................................... 23 2.6.1.1 Scheduling To Avoid Periods Of High Marine Wildlife Activity .... 24 2.6.1.2 Aerial Surveys ............................................................................ 24 2.6.1.3 Mitigation Measures During Survey Activities............................. 24 2.6.1.4 Safety And Exclusion Zones ...................................................... 25 2.6.1.5 Speed And Course Alterations ................................................... 25 2.6.1.6 Ramp Ups .................................................................................. 26 2.6.1.7 Power Downs............................................................................. 26 2.6.1.8 Shut Downs ............................................................................... 27 2.6.1.9 Monitors ..................................................................................... 27 2.6.1.10 Passive Acoustic Monitoring ...................................................... 28 2.6.1.11 Night Survey Areas .................................................................... 29 2.6.2 PSO Data Recording, Verification, Handling, and Security .................... 29 2.6.2.1 PSO Reports.............................................................................. 30 2.6.2.2 Reporting. .................................................................................. 30 2.7 ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT AVOIDANCE MEASURES ................................... 31 2.8 TERRESTRIAL IMPACT AVOIDANCE MEASURES ........................................ 31 2.9 ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS......................................................... 32 3.0 MARINE AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................... 34 3.1 INVERTEBRATES ............................................................................................ 35 3.1.1 White Abalone ....................................................................................... 35 3.2 FISH ................................................................................................................. 35 3.2.1 Steelhead .............................................................................................. 36 3.2.2 Green sturgeon ..................................................................................... 37 Version (6/22/2012) - ii - Southern California Collaborative Offshore Geophysical Survey (SCCOGS) Environmental Assessment 3.2.3 Tidewater goby ...................................................................................... 37 3.2.4 Essential Fish Habitat ............................................................................ 38 3.2.4.1 Species Identified In Fishery Management Plans ....................... 39 3.2.4.2 Habitat Areas Of Particular Concern .......................................... 42 3.2.4.3 Commercial Fishing In Project Area ........................................... 43 3.3 SEA TURTLES ................................................................................................. 45 3.3.1 Olive ridley sea turtle ............................................................................. 46 3.3.2 Green sea turtle ..................................................................................... 46 3.3.3 Leatherback sea turtle ........................................................................... 47 3.3.4 Loggerhead sea turtle............................................................................ 48 3.4 MARINE BIRDS ................................................................................................ 48 3.4.1 California least tern ............................................................................... 48 3.4.2 Western snowy plover ........................................................................... 49 3.4.3 Xantus’s murrelet .................................................................................. 50 3.4.4 Marbled murrelet ................................................................................... 50 3.4.5 Short-tailed albatross............................................................................. 51 3.5 MARINE MAMMALS ......................................................................................... 51 3.5.1 Mysticetes (Baleen Whales) .................................................................. 51 3.5.1.1 North Pacific right whale ............................................................ 52 3.5.1.2 Gray whale ................................................................................ 55 3.5.1.3 Humpback whale ....................................................................... 55 3.5.1.4 Minke whale ............................................................................... 55 3.5.1.5 Sei whale ................................................................................... 56 3.5.1.6 Fin whale ................................................................................... 56 3.5.1.7 Blue whale ................................................................................. 56 3.5.2 Odontoceti ............................................................................................. 56 3.5.2.1 Sperm whale .............................................................................. 57 3.5.2.2 Dwarf sperm whale .................................................................... 57 3.5.2.3 Cuvier’s beaked whale ............................................................... 57 3.5.2.4 Baird’s beaked whale ................................................................. 58 3.5.2.5 Mesoplodont beaked whales ...................................................... 58 3.5.2.6 Bottlenose dolphin ..................................................................... 58 3.5.2.7 Striped dolphin ........................................................................... 58 3.5.2.8 Common dolphin ........................................................................ 59 3.5.2.9 Pacific white-sided dolphin ......................................................... 59 3.5.2.10 Northern right whale dolphin ...................................................... 59 3.5.2.11 Risso’s dolphin ........................................................................... 60 3.5.2.12 Killer whale ................................................................................ 60 3.5.2.13 Short-finned pilot whale ............................................................. 60 3.5.2.14 Dall’s porpoise ........................................................................... 61 3.5.3 Pinnipeds .............................................................................................