New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Baseline Studies April – June 2009 Quarterly Report Geo-Marine, Inc. 2201 K Avenue, Suite A2 Plano, Texas 75074 July 2, 2009 New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Baseline Studies April – June 2009 Quarterly Report TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................................................iii LIST OF TABLES .........................................................................................................................................iv LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS........................................................................................... v INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.0 QUALITY ASSURANCE WORK PLAN........................................................................................... 1 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW.................................................................................................................... 1 3.0 DIGITAL DATA COMPILATION...................................................................................................... 2 4.0 AVIAN PREDICTIVE/PROBABILITY MODEL ................................................................................ 2 4.1 TOTAL AVIAN DENSITY ........................................................................................................... 3 4.2 SCOTER DENSITY – SPRING 2009........................................................................................... 6 5.0 BASELINE SURVEYS ..................................................................................................................... 6 5.1 SHIPBOARD OFFSHORE SURVEYS ........................................................................................... 6 5.1.1 Avian...................................................................................................................... 6 5.1.1.1 Survey Effort........................................................................................ 6 5.1.1.1.1 April 2009 ........................................................................ 6 5.1.1.1.2 May 2009....................................................................... 10 5.1.1.1.3 June 2009...................................................................... 10 5.1.1.2 Survey Results .................................................................................. 10 5.1.1.2.1 Avian species occurrence ............................................. 10 5.1.1.2.2 Avian abundance........................................................... 10 5.1.1.2.3 Avian density................................................................. 18 5.1.2 Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles ...................................................................... 23 5.1.2.1 Survey Effort...................................................................................... 23 5.1.2.1.1 April 2009 ...................................................................... 23 5.1.2.1.2 May 2009....................................................................... 23 5.1.2.1.3 June 2009...................................................................... 23 5.1.2.2 Survey Results .................................................................................. 23 5.2 AERIAL SURVEYS ................................................................................................................. 27 5.2.1 Avian.................................................................................................................... 27 5.2.2 Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles ...................................................................... 27 5.2.2.1 Survey Effort...................................................................................... 27 5.2.2.1.1 April 2009 ...................................................................... 27 5.2.2.1.2 May 2009....................................................................... 27 5.2.2.1.3 June 2009...................................................................... 27 5.2.2.2 Survey Results .................................................................................. 27 5.3 SMALL BOAT COASTAL SURVEYS .......................................................................................... 31 5.3.1 Survey Effort........................................................................................................ 31 5.3.1.1 April 2009 .......................................................................................... 31 5.3.1.2 May 2009........................................................................................... 31 5.3.1.3 June 2009.......................................................................................... 31 5.3.2 Survey Results .................................................................................................... 31 5.3.2.1 Avian Species Occurrence................................................................ 31 5.3.2.2 Avian Abundance .............................................................................. 33 5.3.2.3 Avian Density .................................................................................... 33 5.3.3 Discussion ........................................................................................................... 40 5.3.3.1 Avian Abundance .............................................................................. 40 5.3.3.2 Avian Density .................................................................................... 40 5.4 RADAR SURVEYS ................................................................................................................. 43 5.4.1 Data Collection .................................................................................................... 43 i New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Baseline Studies April – June 2009 Quarterly Report 5.4.2 Data Analysis ...................................................................................................... 43 5.5 THERMAL SURVEYS.............................................................................................................. 43 5.5.1 Data Collection .................................................................................................... 43 5.5.2 Data Analysis ...................................................................................................... 43 5.6 ACOUSTIC SURVEYS ............................................................................................................ 45 5.6.1 March 2009 - Pop-Up Recovery Update............................................................. 45 5.6.1.1 Pop-up 134........................................................................................ 45 5.6.1.2 Pop-up 202........................................................................................ 45 5.6.2 March 2009 - Deployment Summary .................................................................. 45 5.6.3 June 2009 - Recovery Summary......................................................................... 45 5.6.4 Pop-up Diagnostics ............................................................................................. 45 5.6.4.1 Pop-ups 002 and 171........................................................................ 46 5.6.4.2 Pop-up 182........................................................................................ 46 5.6.5 Data Analyses/Processing .................................................................................. 46 5.6.5.1 March 2008 Deployment................................................................... 46 5.6.5.2 June 2008 Deployment ..................................................................... 46 5.6.5.3 September 2008 Deployment ........................................................... 54 5.6.5.4 December 2008 Deployment ............................................................ 54 5.6.5.5 March 2009 Deployment................................................................... 54 5.7 OCEANOGRAPHIC SURVEYS.................................................................................................. 54 5.7.1 Surface Mapping System (SMS)......................................................................... 54 5.7.2 Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) Measurements .................................... 59 5.7.3 Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) Measurements ................................. 59 6.0 INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS FROM OFFSHORE WIND POWER FACILITIES ..................................................................................... 60 7.0 REPORTING .................................................................................................................................. 60 APPENDICES APPENDIX A REVIEWED LITERATURE APPENDIX A-1 FISHES APPENDIX A-2 MARINE BIRDS APPENDIX A-3 MARINE MAMMALS APPENDIX A-4 OFFSHORE WIND FARMS APPENDIX A-5 SEA TURTLES APPENDIX B DIGITAL DATA COMPILATION ii New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Baseline Studies April – June 2009 Quarterly Report LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page Figure 4.1-1 Percent of total avian density within the entire New Jersey Study Area in 2008. Data reflect total birds from coastal and offshore surveys................................ 4 Figure 4.1-2 Percent of total avian density within the New Jersey coastal area in 2008. Data reflect