Effects of Noise on Fish, Fisheries, and Invertebrates in the US Atlantic and Arctic from Energy

361 Pages·2012·49.22 MB·English

by  Tony Hawkins

Effects of Noise on Fish, Fisheries, and
Invertebrates in the U.S. Atlantic and Arctic from
Energy Industry Sound-Generating Activities
Workshop Report
U.S.DepartmentoftheInterior
BureauofOceanEnergyManagement
December2012
Effects of Noise on Fish, Fisheries, and Invertebrates
in the U.S. Atlantic and Arctic from Energy Industry
Sound-Generating Activities
Workshop Report

Prepared under BOEM Contract M11PC00031
by
Normandeau Associates, Inc.
25 Nashua Rd.
Bedford, NH 03110
Published by
U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
DISCLAIMER

This Workshop Report was prepared under contract between the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM) and Normandeau Associates, Inc. The document has been technically
reviewed by the BOEM and has been approved for publication. Approval does not signify that
the contents necessarily reflect the view and policies of BOEM, nor does mention of trade names
or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendations for use.

AVAILABILITY

Copies of this report may be obtained from BOEM’s Environmental Studies Program
Information System (ESPIS) at the following website:
http://www.data.boem.gov/homepg/data_center/other/espis/espismaster.asp?appid=1

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF SPONSORSHIP

Study concept, oversight, and funding were provided by the U.S. Department of the Interior,
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Environmental Studies Program, Washington, DC under
Contract Number M11PC00031.

CITATION

Suggested Citation:

Normandeau Associates, Inc. 2012. Effects of Noise on Fish, Fisheries, and Invertebrates in the
U.S. Atlantic and Arctic from Energy Industry Sound-Generating Activities. A
Workshop Report for the U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management. Contract # M11PC00031. 72 pp. plus Appendices.

ABOUT THE COVER

Cover photos courtesy of Norwegian Meteorological Institute (ship), BOEM (oil platform), and
Laszlo Ilyes (school of fish).
All rights reserved.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Lead authors for individual chapters in the report:

Author (Affiliation) Chapters Topics
Ann Pembroke 1 Introduction
(Normandeau)
Matthew Balge 2 The Workshop
(Normandeau)
Christopher Gurshin 2 The Workshop
(Normandeau)
Dr. Anthony Hawkins 3 Gap Analysis
(Loughine Ltd.)
Dr. Arthur N. Popper 3 Gap Analysis
(University of
Maryland)

All contributed to significant editorial review of the report.

The members of the Science Review Panel provided critical review of the Gap Analysis:

Dr. Christopher Glass, University of New Hampshire
Dr. David Mann, University of South Florida
Dr. Jennifer Miksis-Olds, Pennsylvania State University
Dr. Roberto Racca, JASCO Applied Sciences

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 1
1.1 Background ..................................................................................................................1

1.2 Purpose of the Workshop ............................................................................................2

1.3 Literature Synthesis Overview ...................................................................................2

2. TH E WORKSHOP ............................................................................................. 4
2.1 Overview of Meeting ....................................................................................................4

2.2 Annotated Agenda .......................................................................................................5

2.2.1 Session One: Introduction and Overview ........................................................5
2.2.2 Session Two: Priority Habitats, Species, and Fisheries ..................................9

2.2.3 Session Three: Sources and Sound Exposure ................................................13

2.2.4 Session Four: Effects of Sound of Fishes and Invertebrates .........................24

2.2.5 Session Five: Conclusions ............................................................................35

3. GAP ANA LYSIS ............................................................................................. 37
3.1 Information Gaps Identified During Literature Review and Workshop

Discussions ..................................................................................................................38

3.2 Priorities for Research Derived from the Gap Analysis.........................................65

3.2.1 Describing soundscapes within the U.S. Arctic and Atlantic OCS ................65
3.2.2 Impacts of particular sound sources ...............................................................66

3.2.3 Effects of man-made sounds on marine animals ............................................66

3.2.4 Mitigation of effects .......................................................................................68

3.3 Priorities for Other Forms of Action .......................................................................69

3.3.1 Evaluating mitigation measures .....................................................................69
3.3.2 Work in liaison with others ............................................................................70

3.3.3 Measurement and description of sounds and the conduct of acoustic

experiments ....................................................................................................70

3.4 Conclusions .................................................................................................................70

4. LIT ERATURE CITED ..................................................................................... 71

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Table of Contents

Appendices
Appendix A: Agenda.................................................................................................... A-1
Appendix B: Presentations ........................................................................................... B-1
Appendix C: Biosketches of Invited Participants ......................................................... C-1
Appendix D: List of Attendees .................................................................................... D-1
Appendix E: Literature Synthesis ................................................................................ E-1

List of Figures
Figure 1. BOEM applied science and informed decisions framework. .......................... 6
Figure 2. Environmental Studies Program (ESP) process flow. The workshop
feeds into the first flow circle as noted in the figure. ....................................... 7
Figure 3. An example of grouping fishes by sensitivity of seismic sound and
ecological association prepared at the Halifax workshop on the effects
of sound on fish behavior (Source: CEF Consultants Ltd. 2011) .................. 25

List of Tables

Table 1. Metrics identified by the breakout group that are essential (E),
optional (O), or not applicable (N/A) for four exposure scenarios.
Metrics that were not discussed under a given scenario are left blank. ......... 22
Table 2. Contents of Information Gaps, Section 3.1. ................................................... 40
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Acronyms and Abbreviation

Acronyms and Abbreviations

µPa microPascal
ADFG Alaska Department of Fish and Game
AEP Auditory Evoked Potential
ANSI American National Standards Institute
BOEM Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (United States)
BOEMRE Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (since
superseded by BOEM) (United States)
CPUE Catch Per Unit Effort
dB Decibel
dB Decibels measured in terms of peak sound pressure
peak
dB Decibels measured in terms of root-mean-square pressure
rms
DOSITS Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS.ORG)
EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone
EFH Essential Fish Habitat
ESA Endangered Species Act
ESP Environmental Studies Program
FERC Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (United States)
FMP Fishery Management Plan
GLM General Linear Models
HAPC Habitat Areas of Particular Concern
Hz Hertz
IACMST Inter-Agency Committee on Marine Science and Technology (United
Kingdom)
ICES International Council for Exploration of the Sea
ISO International Organization for Standardization
kg Kilogram
kHz Kilohertz
km Kilometer
lbs Pounds
LNG Liquefied Natural Gas
MAFMC Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
MSFCMA Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act (United
States) or Magnuson-Stevens Act
MMPA Marine Mammal Protection Act (United States)
MMS Minerals Management Service (precursor to BOEM) (United States)
NEFMC New England Fishery Management Council
NEPA National Environmental Policy Act (United States)
nm Nautical Miles
NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service (United States)
NOAA National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (United States)
NPFMC North Pacific Fishery Management Council
NRC National Research Council (United States)
OCS Outer Continental Shelf
OCSLA Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (United States)
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Acronyms and Abbreviation

PAM Passive Acoustic Monitoring
PCAD model Population Consequences of Acoustic Disturbance model
PTS Permanent Threshold Shift
RMS Root-Mean-Square (in sound measurements)
SAFMC South Atlantic Fishery Management Council
SEL Sound Exposure Level
SEL Cumulative Sound Exposure Level
cum
SEL Single Strike Sound Exposure Level
ss
SPL Sound Pressure Level
TTS Temporary Threshold Shift

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Gap Analysis

1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
As authorized by the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), and amended by the Energy
Policy Act of 2005, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is responsible for
oversight of various activities on the OCS, including oil and gas exploration and production;
sand and gravel resource assessment and mining; future offshore wind site assessment, turbine
installation, and operation; and other renewable energy projects. The OCSLA and supporting
regulations, in addition to other environmental statutes (Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation
and Management Act [MSFCMA], Endangered Species Act [ESA], and National Environmental
Policy Act [NEPA]) to which BOEM must adhere, require that information suitable to assessing
impacts to marine resources (including fishes, fisheries, and invertebrates, among other species)
from these activities be collected. Fishes and invertebrates of particular interest for impact
analysis include those species that are commercially or recreationally important, are threatened
or endangered, or are keystone (for example, important prey) species.

Sound from man-made sources has been increasing in the world’s oceans. BOEM regulates
activities, all of which include one or more sources that introduce sound into the marine
environment. Geological and geophysical exploration, pile driving, drilling, dredging, and vessel
traffic all have this potential. BOEM is responsible for evaluating the effects of these noise
sources on biota. While advances continue to be made in understanding the effects of man-made
sound on marine mammals (Southall et al. 2007), the sheer taxonomic and environmental
diversity of fishes and invertebrates has made the task of understanding the effects on these
species a much more onerous task than for marine mammals (Popper and Hawkins 2012). Much
remains to be learned about the hearing or sound-producing capabilities of fishes and
invertebrates, let alone how they respond to, and are potentially affected by, man-made sounds.

In order to further their understanding of the issues surrounding the analysis of the effects of
man-made sounds on fishes, fisheries and invertebrates, BOEM funded a three-phase project that
consisted of: a synthesis of available literature on the subject; a Workshop of experts convened
to discuss the state of knowledge (http://www.boemsoundworkshop.com/); and an analysis of the
information that is needed to improve BOEM’s understanding of the issues (“Gap Analysis”).
The Literature Synthesis was prepared in advance of the Workshop and is appended to this report
(Appendix E). The Workshop was convened in March 2012; discussions are summarized in this
report (Section 2) and presentations are appended (Appendix B). The Gap Analysis is an integral
part of this report (Section 3). It includes a full “wish” list of questions and data needs; many of
these extend well beyond what is needed to conduct a thorough impact analysis but may be
invaluable in helping BOEM and others understand the extend of outstanding issues and also
direct research priorities for years to come on a national and international scale. These issues
were winnowed down to the priorities representing attainable data needs that will allow
significant improvements in understanding impacts from man-made sound in the near future
which can then be included in future BOEM environmental analyses (NEPA, ESA, MSFMCA).
Anticipating the implementation of one or more of their mandated missions in the U.S. Arctic
and the U.S. Atlantic OCS, this project was focused by BOEM on those geographic areas.
1
Gap Analysis

1.2 Purpose of the Workshop
BOEM’s Environmental Studies Program conceived of and funded the Workshop. The
Workshop offered a means to identify the most critical information needs and data gaps on the
effects of various man-made sounds produced by sound-generating devices used by the energy
and offshore minerals industries upon fishes, fisheries, and invertebrates. It was intended to aid
in decision-making for future studies. The information provided by the workshop will be used by
BOEM to direct future research, assist with NEPA and other environmental analyses, develop
monitoring and mitigation measures in lease stipulations and provide information to lessees. The
Workshop included experts in: (a) the sound-producing technologies and activities; (b)
physiology, behavior, and hearing of fishes and invertebrates; and (c) environmental regulation.
A first step was to bring all participants to a common level of understanding on the issues of
concern. The goal in bringing together technical experts from each of these fields was to
stimulate a cross-fertilization of knowledge and ideas about the issues and animals of concern
and then to use this to enhance the identification of data needs by the entire group.
1.3 Literature Synthesis Overview
In advance of the Workshop, the organizers compiled a synthesis of available literature on
natural and man-made sounds in the marine environment; hearing, sound detection, and sound-
production in fishes and invertebrates; and effects of sound on these organisms. The goal of this
synthesis was three-fold:
• To provide a tool to Workshop participants to bring them to a common level of
understanding of the “state of the science”;
• To provide a preliminary assessment of information gaps; and,
• To aid in organization of the breakout discussion groups at the Workshop.

An important, and very basic, finding of the Literature Synthesis was that there is a wide, often
confusing, array of terminology in use to describe similar features (e.g., noise versus sound) or
metrics. This can make it very difficult to compare results reported by different scientists.
Where it was possible to do so, the Literature Synthesis attempted to present information using
common terminology. Promoting standard terminology is certainly not BOEM’s responsibility
but in pointing out the inherent difficulties in interpretation, BOEM can encourage
improvements in the science.

A number of general questions were posed at the beginning of the Literature Synthesis. These
honed in on why man-made sounds in the marine environment are potentially an issue and were
used to structure the document. To summarize, the Literature Synthesis initially asked these
questions:
• How well can we characterize the existing sounds, both natural and man-made, in the
marine environment? Is the sound environment changing? Which man-made sources
have the greatest effect?
• Do man-made sounds harm marine fishes and invertebrates? If so, how is that harm
manifested?
2