US Navy
Marine Species Monitoring
Atlantic Region: Current Projects
Atlantic Fleet Training & Testing Monitoring Projects
The table below summarizes marine species monitoring projets being conducted in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico in support of Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) Marine Mammal Protection Act requirements (50 CFR Part 218). Reports and data from these projects will be made available on the individual project profile pages and the Reading Room as they become available.
Project titles link directly to individual project profile pages with additional details and access to data and reports.
*Intermediate Scientific Objectives are established in coordination with NMFS through the Strategic Planning Process to help prioritize monitoring investments
| Project Description | Intermediate Scientific Objective* | Status |
|
Title: Baseline Monitoring for Marine Mammals in the East Coast Range Complexes (passive acoustics)
Location: Atlantic OPAREAs Objectives: Assess occurrence, density, and vocal activity of marine mammals and sea turtles in key areas of Navy range complexes Methods: Passive acoustic monitoring Performing Organizations: Duke University, Scripps Institute of Oceanography Timeline: 2007-2022 Funding: |
Determine what species and populations of marine mammals and sea turtles are present in Navy range complexes Determine what populations of marine mammals are exposed to Navy training and testing activities Establish the baseline vocalization behavior of marine mammals where Navy training and testing activities occur Evaluate trends in distribution and abundance of populations that are regularly exposed to sonar and underwater explosives |
Ongoing Final deployment in 2021 |
|
Title: Jacksonville Vessel Surveys and Tagging
Location: Jacksonville Shallow Water Training Range (JSWTR) Objectives: Monitor species composition and distribution on JSWTR, support M3R species verifications, Methods: Vessel visual surveys, biopsy sampling, satellite-linked tags, photo-ID Performing Organizations: Duke University, HDR Inc. Timeline: 2016- Funding: FY16 - $100K, FY17 - $105K, FY18 - $360K, FY19 - $60k, FY21 - $125K |
Establish the baseline habitat uses and movement patterns of marine mammals and sea turtles where Navy training and testing activities occur Determine what populations of marine mammals are exposed to Navy training and testing activities Evaluate trends in distribution and abundance of populations that are regularly exposed to Navy training and testing activities |
Continuing |
|
Title: Analysis of Acoustic Ecology of North Atlantic Shelf Break Cetaceans and Effects of Anthropogenic Noise Impacts
Location: Northwest Atlantic Objectives: Assess the acoustic niche of marine mammal species and anthropogenic contributors to disturbance Methods: Passive acoustic monitoring Performing Organizations: NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center Timeline: 2018-2023 Funding: FY18 - $143K, FY19 - $145K, FY20 - $145K, FY21 - $150K |
Establish the baseline vocalization behavior of marine mammals where Navy training and testing activities occur |
Ongoing |
|
Title: Pinniped Tagging and Tracking in Southeast Virginia
Location: Lower Chesapeake Bay and Virginia Eastern Shore Objectives: Document habitat use, movement and haul-out patterns of seals in the Hampton Roads region of Chesapeake Bay and coastal Atlantic Ocean Methods: Photo ID, tagging Performing Organizations: Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Virginia Aquarium, The Nature Conservency, NAVFAC Atlantic, NUWC Newport, HDR Inc. Timeline: 2017-22 Funding: FY16 - $40K, FY17 - $170K, FY18 - $46K, FY19 - $468k, FY20 - $161K, FY21 - $79K |
Estimate the density of marine mammals and sea turtles in Navy range complexes and in specific training areas Establish the baseline habitat uses and movement patterns of marine mammals and sea turtles where Navy training and testing activities occur Evaluate trends in distribution and abundance of populations that are regularly exposed to sonar and underwater explosives |
Tagging to resume in 2022 |
|
Title: Haul-Out Counts and Photo-Identification of Pinnipeds in Narragansett Bay, RI
Location: Narragansett Bay Objectives: Document seasonal occurrence, habitat use, and haul-out patterns of seals Methods: Visual surveys, photo ID Performing Organizations: NUWC Newport Timeline: 2014 to 2017 Funding: Funding: FY15 $45K; FY16 $102K |
Estimate the density of marine mammals and sea turtles in Navy range complexes and in specific training areas Establish the baseline habitat uses and movement patterns of marine mammals and sea turtles where Navy training and testing activities occur Evaluate trends in distribution and abundance of populations that are regularly exposed to sonar and underwater explosives |
On hold Surveys and tagging to resume in 2021 |
|
Title: North Atlantic Right Whale Monitoring
Location: Mid-Atlantic and Southeast calving groounds Objectives: Assess behavior of right whales in coastal waters of the Southeast calving grounds,including rates of travel of individuals, dive behavior, and rates of sound production; Assess seasonal distribution in the Mid-Atlantic region. Methods: Observational methods combined with short term (ca. 24 hour) non-invasive suction cup attached multi-sensor acoustic recording tags with Fastloc GPS; Autonomous underwater gliders equipped with passive acoustic monitoring capabilities. Performing Organizations: Duke University, Syracuse University, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Timeline: 2014-2019 Funding: FY13 - $335K, FY14 - $390K, FY15 - $505k, FY16 - $390k, FY17 $278K, FY18 - $268k |
Evaluate trends in distribution and abundance of populations that may exposed to Navy training and testing activities Establish the baseline habitat uses and movement patterns of marine mammals where Navy training and testing activities occur Establish the baseline vocalization behavior of marine mammals and sea turtles where Navy training and testing activities occur |
Continuing |
