Marine Mammal Monitoring Program

Transcription

1 Deltaport Third Berth Marine Mammal Monitoring Program By Marianne Gilbert Whit Welles h)p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Image:Humpback_stellwagen_edit.jpg#file Andreas Trepte h)p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Image:Common_Seal_Phoca_vitulina.jpg

2 Outline 1. Background Who/What/Why? 2. Program Design (How?): Acoustic modeling Monitoring/surveys 3. Results: Acoustic models zones of influence Monitoring/surveys: Survey results Daily monitoring (Hemmera) 4. Preliminary trends 5. Summary and Conclusions

3 Background Who? Jacques Whitford AXYS and JASCO Research What? Marine Mammal Monitoring Program Preliminary Survey Results (final report ) Why? DP3 environmental assessment: potential effects on marine mammals (Southern Resident Killer Whales) from: Dredging Vibro-densification Need for marine mammal monitoring

4 Background (cont d) Noise is of particular concern for Killer Whales because: 1. Endangered Southern Resident population 2. Construction is taking place in critical habitat 3. KW use sound for: Navigation Communication Foraging 4. Marine Mammal Regulations (Section 7 of Fisheries Act) prohibit the disturbance of marine mammals 5. Specified in the Authorization

5 Background (cont d) Many other marine mammals that use this area may also be affected by construction noise: Harbour Seals Steller Sea Lions California Sea Lions Dall s Porpoises Harbour Porpoises Grey Whales Humpback Whales h)p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Image:Dalls_Porpoise_Back.jpg h)p:// visitor/las12/photos.htm h)p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/image:dsc_7334.jpg Peak use of area h)p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/image:steller_sealions_bc_1.jpg Malene Thyssen, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ User:Malene Summer-Fall h)p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/image:lion_de_mer_amn %C3%A9ville_01.jpg Ralph Eldridge MACHIAS SEAL ISLAND, NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA

6 Program Design Overview Task DescripKon 1 AcousTc Modeling (Pre constructon) Ambient noise measurements Zones of Influence (ZOI) of noise on killer whales 2 Report and RecommendaTons for Marine Mammal Monitoring 3 ValidaTon of Pre constructon AcousTc Modeling Results 4 Marine Mammal Monitoring and surveys 5 Deltaport 3 rd Berth Killer Whale Study and Report 6 Marine Mammal Awareness Pamphlet

7 Acoustic Program Why? 1. Collect noise data in project area 2. Predict noise levels 3. Update predictions based on real equipment How? 1. Field work to collect acoustic data Background/ambient noise Columbia dredge Vibro-densification Hydrophone Vibro-densifier 2. Computer modeling of Zones of Influence (ZOI) Columbia Dredge

8 Acoustic Results Ambient Noise

9 Acoustic Results Zones of Influence Columbia Dredging Zone of influence < 1000m) Vibro-densification Zone of influence <130m)

10 Acoustic Program Conclusions Hearing damage unlikely; only limited to areas very close to activities (<10m) Behavioural disturbances limited to inter-causeway area (<1 km) Sound masking may take place outside the inter-causeway area 1 km monitoring radius appropriate

11 Marine Mammal Monitoring Regular Monitoring Regular monitoring performed by On-Site monitors (Hemmera) to implement recommended mitigation: Detailed visual monitoring protocol developed to locate, track and observe marine mammals in area (if detected) Shut down of operations when Killer Whales are within 1km distance.

12 Marine Mammal Monitoring Field Surveys Why? Obtain additional seasonal information Determine potential changes in marine mammal use near Deltaport from construction activities (baseline studies conducted ) How? Surveys conducted by two Marine Mammal Observers Marine mammal species Numbers and location Behaviour Environmental conditions

13 Planned Survey Transect Lines Where?

14 Survey Dates Baseline Surveys done in June 20 th June 30 th August 22 nd September 27 th September 29 th January 25 th January May 1 st

15 Construction Activities During Surveys ConstrucKon AcKvity Survey Date June August September January May Dredging Vibro DensificaKon Other Holiday limited actvity Placement of type A protecton rock. Pile extracton at Ted bulkhead Clamshell placement of rock Becker standard penetrat on testng (SPT) Pile Driving of temporary piles with vibro head. Becker SPT

16 Preliminary Survey Results Survey Date Species June August September January May Resident killer whale ~40 Harbour seal Harbour porpoise Humpback whale 2 Steller sea lion 1 Dall s porpoise 2 UnidenKfied porpoise 1 UnidenKfied pinniped 2 Total

17 Harbour Seal Distribution h)p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Image:Seehund.jpg

18 Harbour Porpoise Distribution Malene Thyssen, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ User:Malene

19 Killer whales and other Marine Mammals

20 Killer Whale Identification Identification of J17 female. Activities Observed: Travelling Foraging Breaching Lob-tailing Surveys have identified both J-pod and L-pod.

21 Marine Mammal Densities in Relation to DP3 Construction - PRELIMINARY 2.5 Marine Mammal Survey DensiKes (km 2 ) vs. Distance from ConstrucKon (km) Killer Whales Harbour Seal Density (numbers per km 2 ) Harbour Porpoise Humpback Whale Stellar Sea Lion Dall's Porpoise UnidenTfied Porpoise UnidenTfied Pinniped Range from ConstrucKon (km)

22 Summary of Marine Mammal Observations Killer Whales: L and J-Pods were seen off effort in 2 out of 7 of the surveys conducted (September 2007 & August 2008). Presence consistent with known seasonal use of area for feeding on returning salmon. Construction, vessel & crabbing activities during these surveys did not appear to deter them from utilizing Roberts Bank.

23 Summary of Marine Mammal Observations Humpback Whales: Two were seen on June 2008 During limited construction activity Harbour Seals: Most abundant marine mammal Greatest numbers seen in late June 2008 survey prior to pupping season No apparent effect from construction Harbour Porpoises: Most abundant in August 2008 survey Possible pattern more analysis required

24 Questions and Comments