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  • April 1, 2023
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  • 3,739.92 KB
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  • June 30, 2024
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  • 1,765.10 KB
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  • February 2, 2011
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  • 275.61 KB
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  • February 2, 2012
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  • 11,829.07 KB
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  • February 2, 2013
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  • 5,444.39 KB
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  • March 1, 2016
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  • 12,581.96 KB
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  • April 1, 2017
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  • 19,581.24 KB
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  • April 1, 2018
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  • 17,135.76 KB
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  • April 1, 2019
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  • 9,215.03 KB
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  • April 1, 2020
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  • 6,268.29 KB
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  • April 1, 2021
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  • 2,666.51 KB
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  • April 1, 2022
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  • 2,632.36 KB
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  • March 20, 2025
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  • 88.52 KB
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  • April 1, 2025
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  • 2,387.02 KB
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Effects of Pile Driving on Marine Mammal Behavior in Puget Sound, Washington, USA. Ampela, K., A. Balla-Holden , C. Bacon, D. Fertl, J. Latusek-Nabholz, T. McConchie, D. Spontak, and N. Stadille. ESOMM - 2014 5th International Meeting on the Effects of Sound in the Ocean on Marine Mammals .
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Date Published:
  • September 7, 2014

Marine mammal (MM) monitoring was conducted during in-water pile driving (PD) at Hood Canal, Washington, during fall 2011. Monitoring was performed on construction days, during active-construction (“AC”, defined as 30 minutes prior to, during, and 30 minutes after PD) and non-construction (“NC”, downtime) periods. Baseline surveys were also conducted throughout Hood Canal on days when no PD occurred. Monitoring and baseline surveys occurred over 53 days. Marine Mammal Observers (MMOs) recorded 1,207 sightings totaling 2,269 individual MM.

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  • 1,481.12 KB
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Marine Mammal Behavior in Relation to In-Water Pile Driving in Puget Sound, Washington, USA.. Ampela, K., A. Balla-Holden, C.E. Bacon, D. Fertl, J.N. Latusek-Nabholz, T.C. McConchie, D.M. Spontak, and N.M. Stadille.. 20th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals .
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Date Published:
  • December 9, 2013

Marine mammal (MM) monitoring was conducted during inwater pile driving (PD) at Naval Base Kitsap Bangor, Washington in Hood Canal during Fall 2011. Vessel-based monitoring was performed on construction days, during both active-construction (“AC”, defined as 30 minutes prior to, during, and 30 minutes after PD) and non-construction (“NC”, downtime) periods. Baseline surveys were also conducted throughout Hood Canal on days when no PD occurred. Monitoring and baseline surveys occurred over 53 days, during which Marine Mammal Observers (MMOs) recorded 1,207 sightings totaling 2,269 individual MM. Species observed included California sea lion (Zalophus californianus), Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus), harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), and harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Harbor seals were the most frequently observed MM on construction days (n=782 sightings) and baseline survey days (n=197 sightings). The only cetaceans observed were harbor porpoise (n=68 construction, 34 baseline sightings). Harbor seal sighting rates were lower on construction days than on baseline days (0.73 and 1.80 sightings/observer hour [obs hr], respectively). Likewise, harbor porpoise were sighted less often on construction days than on baseline days (0.13 and 0.31 sightings/obs hr, respectively). On construction days, harbor seal sighting rates were actually higher during AC periods than NC periods (3.31 and 0.23 sightings/obs hr, respectively). This is consistent with MMOs’ qualitative observations that harbor seals (particularly juveniles) appeared to be attracted to PD, and often moved towards the construction area when PD was initiated. On construction days, pinnipeds were most often observed “diving,” “looking,” “sinking,” and “swimming”. During AC, 4% more pinnipeds were observed “diving” vs. NC periods (n=124). On construction days, harbor porpoise were most often observed “traveling”. During AC, 27% fewer harbor porpoise were observed “traveling” vs. NC periods (n=18). Overall, minor behavioral disruptions were observed in relation to PD, and were within “take” numbers in the issued Incidental Harassment Authorization.

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  • 4,632.51 KB
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Mapping marine mammal activity in and near U.S. Navy training areas.. Ampela, K., J. Aschettino, A. Balla-Holden, J. Bell, A. Burvall, M. Cooper, J. Crain, M. Davis, A. DiMatteo, D. Engelhaupt, P. Hille, G. Miller-Francisco, M. Richie, M. Richlen, N. Stadille, and R. Uyeyama.. Esri User Conference .
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  • July 10, 2017
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  • 8,776.79 KB
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Estimation of In-Water Density and Abundance of Harbor Seals. Ampela, K., T.A. Jefferson, and M.A. Smultea. Journal of Wildlife Management. 2021. 1–7
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Date Published:
  • February 22, 2021

Ecologists and managers require accurate population estimates of marine mammals to assess potential anthropogenic threats to these animals. We present estimates of in-water density and abundance of a distinct stock of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardii) in Hood Canal, Washington, USA. We used aerial line-transect survey data collected from 2013 to 2016 to directly estimate harbor seal density and abundance in the waters of Hood Canal, a deep-water fjord in the Salish Sea. We estimated a correction factor for trackline detection probability from dive and surface time data gathered from regional seal tagging studies, and applied this factor to correct for seals missed on the trackline during surveys.

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Geographic differences in Blainville's beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris) echolocation clicks. Baumann‐Pickering, S., J.S. Trickey, A. Solsona‐Berga, A. Rice, E.M. Oleson, J.A. Hildebrand, and K.E. Frasier. Diversity and Distributions. 2023. 29(4):478–491
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Date Published:
  • January 1, 2023
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  • 1,743.48 KB
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  • June 1, 2014

Passive acoustic monitoring was conducted to detect the presence of marine mammal and anthropogenic sounds in the Navy’s Northwest Training Range Complex (NWTRC) from September 14, 2012 until June 30, 2013. High-frequency Acoustic Recording Packages (HARPs) recorded sounds between 10 Hz and 100 kHz at the shelf slope near Quinault Canyon. Data analysis methods consisted of detection of sounds by analyst scans of long-term spectral averages (LTSAs) and spectrograms, and by automated computer algorithms when possible. The data were divided into three frequency bands for analysis of marine mammal vocalizations and anthropogenic sounds.

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  • 16,828.02 KB
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Date Published:
  • January 1, 2017

To meet information needs of the US Navy, Pacific Fleet Environmental, the National Marine Fisheries Service, Marine Mammal Laboratory in collaboration with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife conducted a study of adult male California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) with two objectives: 1) to estimate the number of sea lions that use Navy Facilities in Puget Sound, Washington and 2) to describe how adult male sea lions utilize the waters of Washington as marine foraging areas. To accomplish this, weekly counts of sea lions were conducted at four Navy Facilities in Puget Sound, Washington (WA) to estimate abundance and satellite dive recorders were deployed on adult male California sea lions to obtain data on the proportion of time the animals were hauled out and their distribution and diving behavior as they foraged in inland and coastal waters.

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  • 6,052.67 KB
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Date Published:
  • February 25, 2019

Passive acoustic monitoring has been conducted along the U.S. west coast, from Central California to Cape Flattery, to monitor movements of endangered Southern resident killer whales (SRKW). Since 2008, four to seventeen Ecological Acoustic Recorders (EARs) have been deployed, depending on the year and available funding. The rate of successful data acquisition has varied each year due to fishery interactions and equipment failures. EARs were programmed to record on a 5–10% duty cycle depending on the year of deployment, resulting in 30–90 seconds of continuous recording every 300–600 seconds with a sampling rate of 25 kHz.

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  • 1,398.03 KB
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Passive acoustic monitoring reveals spatiotemporal segregation of two fish-eating killer whale Orcinus orca populations in proposed critical habitat. Emmons, C.K., M.B. Hanson, and M.O. Lammers. Endangered Species Research. 2021. 44:253-261. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01099
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Date Published:
  • January 1, 2021

We used passive acoustic monitoring at 15 sites along the coast of Washington State, USA, to assess habitat use patterns of 2 sympatric populations of fish-eating killer whales Orcinus orca: northern residents (NRKW) and southern residents (SRKW).

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Date Published:
  • August 1, 2018

We integrated opportunistic visual sightings, and the output from an updated state-space movement model fit to the locations from several satellite-tagged Southern Resident killer whales to fill in the detection gaps in the acoustic detections of this population in the coastal waters of the U.S. over a 4-year period when satellite tags were not deployed

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  • 2,610.25 KB
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Date Published:
  • June 29, 2015

In this analysis, we integrate limited acoustic detections over a 7-year period with two other data sources: opportunistic visual sightings, and output from a state-space movement model fit to the locations from a single satellite-tagged individual. We illustrate a case study with an application to endangered Southern Resident killer whales, where the focus is understanding the coastal habitat use of this population in winter and spring months. Predictions from our state-space movement model suggest in winter of 2014, SRKWs spent the highest density of time located off the Columbia River and near Westport. Other areas with concentrated effort included off the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, and near the Mad and Eel rivers in Northern California.

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  • 2,722.69 KB
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  • January 31, 2022

Autonomous passive acoustic recorders have been used for the past 15 years to monitor the coastal occurrence of Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW), other marine mammals, and anthropogenic noise in and adjacent to the Navy’s NWRTC in Washington State. The five autonomous acoustic recorders in and adjacent to the Navy’s NWTRC were successfully recovered in early September 2021 and new moorings were redeployed at each site.

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  • 355.18 KB
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  • June 1, 2017

Remotely deployed telemetry tags were used to assess the movements and occurrence of the whales in the winter, and passive acoustic recorders deployed in areas thought to be frequently used by the whales, were used to assess their seasonal occurrence in these areas. These data will be used to provide information to better understand their seasonal occ

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  • 2,040.50 KB
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  • June 3, 2023

The Southern distinct population segment (sDPS) of green sturgeon Acipenser medirostris is federally listed as a threatened species under the United States (U.S.) Endangered Species Act (ESA). Large aggregations of both the Northern distinct population segment (nDPS) and sDPS of green sturgeon can be found congregating in Washington’s coastal estuaries mid-summer. This provides a unique opportunity to capture and study this elusive species. Existing telemetric data indicates that these fish make long migrations along the Pacific Coast with a possible year-round presence in near-shore marine waters along Washington and Oregon’s coastline. The U.S. Navy is interested in the occurrence of the threatened sDPS of green sturgeon in the Northwest Training and Testing (NWTT) study area, which is offshore of Washington, Oregon, and northern California.

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  • 8,705.32 KB
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Date Published:
  • May 20, 2022

The Southern distinct population segment (DPS) of green sturgeon Acipenser medirostris is federally listed as a threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). Large aggregations of both the Northern DPS and Southern DPS of green sturgeon can be found congregating in Washington’s coastal estuaries mid-summer. This provides a unique opportunity to capture and study this elusive species. Existing telemetric data indicates that these fish make long migrations along the Pacific Coast with a possible year-round presence in near-shore marine waters along Washington and Oregon’s coastline. The U.S. Navy is interested in the occurrence of the threatened Southern DPS of green sturgeon in the Northwest Training and Testing (NWTT) study area, which is offshore of Washington, Oregon, and northern California.

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  • 5,224.19 KB
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Date Published:
  • February 1, 2021

Large aggregations of both the Northern distinct population segment (DPS) and ESA-listed Southern DPS of the green sturgeon Acipenser medirostris can be found congregating in Washington’s coastal estuaries mid-summer. This provides a unique opportunity to capture and study this elusive species. Existing telemetric data indicates that these fish make long migrations along the Pacific Coast with a possible year-round presence in near-shore marine waters along Washington and Oregon’s coastline. The U.S. Navy is interested in evaluating the impacts of military training and testing operations to protected species and, for the purpose of this project, is specifically interested in assessing impacts to the threatened Southern DPS of green sturgeon.

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  • 3,427.98 KB
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  • October 1, 2020

The 2018 California Current Ecosystem Survey (CCES) was a joint project of the Marine Mammal and Turtle Division (MMTD) and the Fisheries Resources Division (FRD) of National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC). The survey was conducted over the course of 7 legs aboard the NOAA ship Reuben Lasker between 26 June and 4 December 2018 (Table 1). CCES was an assessment survey for coastal pelagic fish stocks, marine mammals, seabirds, and oceanography along the west coasts of southern Canada (Vancouver Island), US, and northern Mexico (Baja California), out to a distance of approximately 200 nautical miles offshore (Fig. 1). MMTD and FRD worked jointly aboard the vessel during Legs 1 through 4 (OMAO Project No. RL-18-03) (Tables 1, 2a, and 2b), during which the vessel surveyed off the coasts of Vancouver Island and the US West Coast. Only MMTD operations were conducted during Legs 5 through 7 (OMAO Project No. RL-19- 01), during which the vessel surveyed off the US West Coast and Mexico. This document covers the work conducted by MMTD (MMTD Survey No. 1651). Work conducted by FRD is presented separately (Stierhoff et al. 2019).

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  • 3,239.97 KB
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  • April 1, 2024

The U.S. Navy conducts military training and testing in Pacific Northwest range areas to prepare combat-ready military forces, whereas NOAA Fisheries is responsible for managing threatened and endangered species in marine waters and providing permits to the U.S. Navy. NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Navy share the common goals of minimizing the impact of military training and testing activities on endangered species without compromising training and testing efforts and reducing adverse environmental effects. This work provides vital geographic and distributional data within the Navy’s range areas, allowing the Navy the flexibility to proceed with training and testing while providing protective measures for both salmonids and killer whales. This research jointly studied Chinook salmon and Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW) in the Northwest Training and Testing (NWTT study area) Range. The authors used acoustic telemetry to map salmon behavior and overlap with SRKW occurrence. By tracking Chinook salmon, SRKW's primary prey, the project aims to guide actions to conserve both species. The data will help adjust activities to minimize harm to these protected species. From May to September 2023, 101 Chinook salmon were caught, tagged, and released north of the Columbia River near the Washington Coast. Acoustic transmitters were surgically implanted into the fish, allowing them to be detected by stationary receivers deployed in the ocean, estuaries, and nearby rivers. The fish's locations and movements were recorded and used to Submitted in Support of the U.S. Navy’s 2023 Annual Marine Species Monitoring Report for the Pacific STANDARD FORM 298 Back (Rev. 8/98) assess their spatial distribution and behavior. SRKW detections were also collected from March to October 2023 at 15 passive acoustic moorings on the Washington coast. These acoustic moorings, in combination with the 69 kHz receivers, are currently in operation. All but one of the salmon tagged so far were Snake River spring/summer Chinook ESU and the remaining Chinook origin is yet to be determined. Tasks the are still to be completed include tagging an estimated 60 Chinook salmon and analyzing concurrently collected SRKW data. Spring-run Chinook salmon that are returning to the Columbia River are b

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  • 3,071.87 KB
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  • July 1, 2017

The U.S. Navy requires information about the in-water density and abundance of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) in various parts of Hood Canal, Washington, to evaluate impacts and estimate exposure to Navy activities that may cause acoustic disturbance (e.g., use of sonar, pile driving, and other marine construction). To determine the best approach for estimating in-water density and abundance of harbor seals in Hood Canal using existing data, a workshop was held in October 2015 in Seattle, Washington, and was attended by experts and scientists with experience in the region. S

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  • 8,865.63 KB
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Sightings and satellite tracking of a blue/fin whale hybrid in its wintering and summering ranges in the Eastern North Pacific. Jefferson, T.A., D.M. Palacios, J. Calambokidis, C.S. Baker, C.E. Hayslip, P.A. Jones, B.A. Lagerquist, M. Jørgensen and A. Schulman-Janiger. Advances in Oceanography & Marine Biology. 2021. 2(4):1-9
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Date Published:
  • March 25, 2021

We report 20 photo-documented sightings of a blue/fin whale hybrid between 2004 and 2020, in its wintering and summering ranges in the Gulf of California, Mexico, and southern California, USA, respectively. The whale was confirmed to be a hybrid by genetic testing using a reference dataset of non-hybrid blue and fin whales. It was also tracked by satellite for 28 days in 2015, showing its feeding range extended to the Big Sur area of central California. Information is presented to assist in field identification of blue/fin whale hybrids.

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Harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) recovery in the inland waters of Washington: Estimates of density and abundance from aerial surveys, 2013–2015. Jefferson, Thomas A.; Smultea, Mari A.; Courbis, Sarah S.; Campbell, Gregory S. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 2025. 505-515
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Date Published:
  • October 10, 2025

The harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena (L., 1758)) used to be common in Puget Sound, Washington, but virtually disappeared from these waters by the 1970s. We conducted systematic aerial line-transect surveys (17 237 km total effort) for harbor porpoises, with the goal of estimating density and abundance in the inland waters of Washington State.

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Date Published:
  • June 1, 2014

This report summarizes information from 24 U.S. Navy-funded aerial surveys of pinniped haulout sites in the inland waters of Washington State conducted between March 2013 and February 2014 by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

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  • 2,946.44 KB
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Date Published:
  • January 1, 2013

Passive acoustic monitoring using High-frequency Acoustic Recording Packages (HARPs) was conducted at two sites in the Navy’s Northwest Training Range Complex; one on the continental shelf near Cape Elizabeth (CE) and the other at the shelf slope near Quinault Canyon (QC). The inshore shelf site was monitored from December 2011 until January 2012, and the offshore shelf slope site was monitored from December 2011 until July 2012. In this report, information on the presence of marine mammals and anthropogenic sounds collected at these sites is presented.

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  • 4,259.08 KB
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Date Published:
  • November 1, 2015

A passive-acoustic glider survey was conducted in the Quinault Range Site (QRS) off the Washington coast between 11 June and 12 July 2012. This glider survey was conducted with funding from the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Research (ONR); awards # N00014-10-1-0515 and # N00014-08-1-1082. The survey was part of the development effort of the passive-acoustic Seaglider, which is currently being used for a marine mammal monitoring project funded by U.S. Pacific Fleet through contract N62470-10D-3011, task orders KB23 and KB25, with Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Pacific. The purpose of this field trial was primarily to test the general functionality of the passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) board and a new onboard acoustic data-storage system (Revision A).

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  • 5,241.53 KB
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Blue and fin whale residence time and occupancy in Navy training and testing areas off the US West Coast. Lagerquist, B.A., L.M. Irvine, T.M. Follett, K. Ampela, E. Falcone, G.S. Schorr, B.R. Mate, and D.M. Palacios. Frontiers in Marine Science. 2024. 11:1471310
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  • November 26, 2024
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Date Published:
  • June 1, 2013

Pacific coast feeding group (PCFG) gray whales are a group of eastern North Pacific gray whales which do not migrate up to the arctic during the summer feeding season. Individuals have been repeatedly sighted in multiple years at locations ranging from northern California to southeast Alaska from late spring through fall (Calambokidis et al. 2002, Swartz et al. 2006). This report presents preliminary data from a satellite tagging project conducted to identify PCFG gray whale movements in and around the Pacific Northwest in association with the United States Navy’s (Navy) Northwest Training Range Complex (NWTRC).

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  • 5,338.98 KB
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  • June 1, 2014

The purpose of this study was to understand the offshore distribution of gray whales and the potential for overlap with Navy activities.

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  • 2,453.91 KB
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  • January 9, 2020

This work is in support of marine species monitoring activities by the United States (US) Navy in its training and testing range complexes in the Pacific Ocean. Specifically, the study seeks to help delineate humpback whale Distinct Population Segments found off the US West Coast, as well as to describe their feeding-season home range, migration to the breeding areas, diving behavior, habitat use, and ecological characteristics.

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  • 4,858.24 KB
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  • July 31, 2015

Twenty-four blue whales [20 location-only tags, 4 Advanced Dive Behavior (ADB) tags] and six fin whales (3 locationonly tags, 3 ADB tags) were tagged in August 2014 between Mugu Canyon, west of Malibu, and San Diego. CA .There was a great deal of individual variation in the tracks of both blue and fin whales, with blue whale locations extending from the northern tip of Vancouver Island in British Columbia to the Costa Rica Dome area off Central America, and those of fin whales extending from southern Oregon to central Baja California

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  • 11,172.92 KB
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Date Published:
  • December 22, 2017

Through the use of satellite telemetry and genetic analyses, this project will provide greater detail on which subpopulations of humpback whales use the Navy activity areas in the North Pacific Ocean. Satellite tag deployments will occur off California and Oregon/Washington (summer/fall 2017) and Hawaii (winter/spring 2018) to track the migrations of humpback whales throughout the Pacific basin for multiple weeks to multiple months after deployment.

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  • 3,945.81 KB
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Date Published:
  • October 19, 2018

This report presents detailed results from the tagging, biopsy sampling, and photo-identification efforts conducted off southern and central California in summer and off Oregon in fall, as well as results from previous OSU studies of humpback whales in California, Oregon, Southeast Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands during 1997–2016.

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  • 9,217.32 KB
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Date Published:
  • March 27, 2019

The purpose of this Cooperative Agreement between Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest (NAVFAC SW) and Oregon State University (OSU) is to support marine mammal studies in compliance with the Letters of Authorization and Biological Opinions issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to the Navy for activities in all Pacific Ocean testing and training range complexes. With regard to humpback whales, in 2016 NMFS divided the global population into fourteen Distinct Population Segments (DPS) for purposes of listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Four DPS were designated for the North Pacific based on the location of distinct breeding areas (Federal Register 2016a, b): “Western North Pacific”, “Hawaii”, “Mexico”, and “Central America”. The corresponding ESA status is “Endangered” for both the Western North Pacific (estimated at 1,066 animals; Wade 2017) and the Central America DPS (estimated at 783 animals; Wade 2017); “Threatened” for the Mexico DPS (estimated at 2,806 animals; Wade 2017); and “Not Listed” for the Hawaii DPS (estimated at 11,571 animals; Wade 2017) (Federal Register 2016a, b).

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  • 699.95 KB
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  • January 29, 2021

Information on green sturgeon occurrence in Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca is needed to ensure that potentially harmful human actions do not impact this species, particularly the southern distinct population segment (DPS), which is listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. We reviewed acoustic detection data from 2002 to 2019 for incidence of acoustically tagged green sturgeon in these areas.

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  • 2,312.23 KB
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  • March 30, 2020

This report presents detailed results from the tagging, biopsy sampling, and photo-identification efforts conducted off the coast of northern Washington and central Oregon in summer 2018, as well as results from previous OSU studies of humpback whales in Oregon in 2016 and 2017. Whale use of Navy training and testing areas as well as their use of NMFS-identified Biologically Important Areas (BIAs) is examined and assignment to various DPSs (based on tracking, genetic, and photographic information) is discussed. Comparisons are made to tracking results from humpback whales tagged by OSU in California in 2004, 2005, and 2017 (presented in Mate et al. 2018a). For the 2018 data, this report also presents detailed dive behavior analyses and ecological relationships between whale locations and oceanographic conditions.

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  • 16,892.06 KB
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Date Published:
  • November 13, 2020

This report presents results from field efforts conducted off the coast of northern Washington (NWA) in summer and fall 2019, as well as results from previous OSU studies of humpback whales in southern and central California (SCCA), northern California and Oregon (NCA/OR), and NWA from 2004 to 2018.

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  • 6,138.68 KB
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Analytical development of whale satellite tagging data to inform critical knowledge gaps off the U.S. West Coast. Palacios, D.M.. West Coast Entanglement Science Workshop, virtual event, 25 August – 3 September 2020 .
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  • August 25, 2020
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  • 4,478.58 KB
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Dispersal, site fidelity, and residency of satellite-tagged blue and fin whales in the California Current Ecosystem. Palacios, D.M., L.M. Irvine, T. Machette, B.A. Lagerquist, E.A. Falcone, G.S. Schorr, and B.R. Mate. 8th International Bio-logging Science Symposium, Tokyo, Japan. 4–8 March 2024. .
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  • March 4, 2020
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  • 3,321.86 KB
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Date Published:
  • June 1, 2015

For this report, killer whale signals were analyzed for periods of deployment from January 2011 – April 2014 in order to determine the seasonal occurrence and distribution of different killer whale ecotypes at these sites.

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  • 348.81 KB
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Distribution, abundance, and density of harbor porpoises in Hood Canal, Washington. Rone, B.K., A.N. Zerbini, E.A. Falcone, E.L. Keene, and G.S. Schorr. Journal of Wildlife Management. 2024. 88(3):e22543
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Date Published:
  • January 8, 2024

Harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) are the only cetaceans routinely sighted in Hood Canal, a narrow fjord that comprises the western edge of Puget Sound, Washington, USA. Harbor porpoises are sensitive to anthropogenic sounds, including noise from recreational and commercial vessel traffic, and the United States Navy, which conducts military training and testing within Hood Canal that can include underwater sound sources. This study was funded as part of the Navy monitoring program to assess potential impacts of naval activities on cetaceans. We conducted vessel-based line-transect surveys for harbor porpoises in Hood Canal in 2022–2023 to derive seasonal estimates of abundance and density.

Publication:Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
Movements and Diving Behavior of the Eastern North Pacific Offshore Killer Whale (Orcinus orca). Schorr, G.S., M.B. Hanson, E.A. Falcone, C.K. Emmons, S.M. Jarvis, R.D. Andrews, and E.M. Keen. Frontiers in Marine Science. 2022. 9:854893
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Date Published:
  • May 24, 2022

The Pacific Offshore killer whale population is currently listed as data deficient on the IUCN Red List and Threatened in Canada. The population is estimated at 300 individuals with a range extending from Southern California to the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. Only 157 encounters with this ecotype have been photo-documented between 1988 and 2014; consequently, movement and behavioral data are limited and restricted to areas commonly surveyed. To better understand movements, habitat use, and diving behavior, we deployed seven dart-attached satellite tags during two encounters with Offshores off California and one encounter off Washington State in 2013.

Publication:Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
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Date Published:
  • January 1, 2023

Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) is an iconic species found throughout the North Pacific Ocean and supports valuable subsistence, commercial and recreational fisheries. In addition to its importance to fisheries, Chinook salmon is an important food source for many apex marine predators, including endangered Southern Resident killer whales (Orcinus orca). Currently, coast-wide changes in Chinook salmon population demographics and production have been documented from western Alaska to California, including several Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) from the United States (U.S.) Pacific Northwest (PNW) that are protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA).

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  • 3,511.60 KB
Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
Seitz, A.C., M.B. Courtney, and S. Garcia. Alaska Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting, Fairbanks, Alaska, March 2023 .
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Date Published:
  • March 1, 2023
Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
Diving behavior of Cuvier's beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Shearer, J., R. Baird, D. Webster, H. Foley, Z. Swaim, and A. Read.. SEAMAMMS (Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Marine Mammal Symposium) .
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Date Published:
  • April 7, 2017
Filesize:
  • 420.16 KB
Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
Using hierarchical models to estimate stock-specific and seasonal variation in ocean distribution, survivorship, and aggregate abundance of fall run Chinook salmon. Shelton, A.O., W.H. Satterthwaite, E.J. Ward, B.E. Feist, B. Burke. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 2019. 76(1): 95-108. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2017-0204
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Date Published:
  • January 1, 2019

We construct the first coastwide state-space model for fall Chinook salmon tagged fish released from California to British Columbia between 1977 and 1990 to estimate seasonal ocean distribution along the west coast of North America.

Publication:Ocean:Region:Species:
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Date Published:
  • June 1, 2023

Steelhead trout populations have been declining along Washington State's coast, with limited information about their ocean distribution and movement timing. Steelhead can travel long distances and spawn multiple times, with repeat spawners being more productive. In this study, the authors aimed to understand post-spawn steelhead movements using acoustic telemetry and pop-up satellite tags (PSAT) to determine the location and timing of winter-run steelhead within the Northwest Training and Testing (NWTT) area in 2021. Acoustic telemetry showed that 73.5% of wild fish tagged during their upstream migration died on or near spawning grounds.

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  • 4,992.71 KB
Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
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Date Published:
  • June 1, 2023

Three acoustic tag glider deployments were conducted in Washington's (WA) coastal portion of the Northwest Training and Testing (NWTT) Study Area between September 2019 and June 2020. This survey was conducted with funding from the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet to determine the utility of glider-based acoustic tag detection in a highly mobile fish, Chinook salmon. The primary objective was to expand the detection range of a U.S. Navy-funded stationary, moored acoustic tag receiver array by extending the detection beyond the shelf edge and in other deeper locations, such as marine canyons where the moored acoustic receiver units were not feasible to deploy.

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  • 8,646.71 KB
Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
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Date Published:
  • June 1, 2023

The migration route and timing of Chinook salmon along the coast of Washington State is not well understood. To determine when and where Chinook salmon of different genetic stocks enter and transit through the U.S. Navy Northwest Training and Testing Area (NWTT) we tagged 298 maturing adult salmon across five locations throughout the Gulf of Alaska.

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  • 8,224.28 KB
Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
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Date Published:
  • February 5, 2021

The Northwest Fisheries Science Center is currently conducting a study to characterize the occurrence of Chinook salmon within the Northwest Training and Testing area (NWTT).

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  • 899.69 KB
Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
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Date Published:
  • November 3, 2022

The Northwest Fisheries Science Center is currently conducting a study to characterize the occurrence of Chinook salmon within the Northwest Training and Testing area (NWTT).

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  • 1,231.42 KB
Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
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Date Published:
  • April 9, 2020

The Northwest Fisheries Science Center is currently conducting a study to characterize the occurrence of Chinook salmon within the Northwest Training and Testing area (NWTT).

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  • 2,903.88 KB
Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
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Date Published:
  • June 1, 2023

This study aims to improve the understanding of the extent to which bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus), a threatened species, exhibit anadromous behavior or migrate between freshwater and saltwater environments, between coastal rivers on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state and adjacent to the Navy’s Northwest Training and Testing (NWTT) Study Area

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  • 1,620.93 KB
Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
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Date Published:
  • March 1, 2019

The Northwest Fisheries Science Center is currently conducting a study to characterize the occurrence of Chinook salmon within the Northwest Training and Testing area (NWTT).

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  • 1,542.61 KB
Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
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Date Published:
  • June 1, 2017

From 2013 to 2016, we conducted systematic line-transect aerial surveys in 8 sub-regions of Puget Sound encompassing inland waters of Washington State. U.S.-funded surveys were conducted year-round and focused on estimating seasonal in-water density and abundance of marine mammals, particularly harbor porpoises and harbor seals

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  • 4,652.56 KB
Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
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Date Published:
  • December 31, 2015

From 2013 to 2015, researchers conducted systematic line-transect aerial surveys for marine mammals in eight subregions of Puget Sound encompassing inland waters of Washington State. Effort consisted of five separate survey periods spanning four seasons (winter, spring, summer and fall) and was funded by the United States Navy (Navy). Surveys focused on estimating seasonal in-water density and abundance of cetaceans, particularly harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena).

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  • 5,860.87 KB
Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
Puget Sound marine mammal aerial surveys, 2013-2015. Smultea, M., C. Bacon, D. Steckler, and M. Cotter. Marine Mammal Working Group, Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program (PSEMP) .
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Date Published:
  • January 15, 2015

Seasonal systematic aerial surveys of Puget Sound.

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  • 5,672.86 KB
Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
Regional and seasonal density and abundance of harbor porpoise: Recolonization of Puget Sound, aerial surveys 2013-2015. Smultea, M., T. Jefferson, D. Steckler, G. Campbell, K. Lomac-MacNair, S. Courbis, K. Ampela, A. Balla-Holden, and S. Hanser. 21st Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals .
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Date Published:
  • December 13, 2015

Although harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) were historically common in Puget Sound in the 1940s, their abundance declined in successive decades, with no individuals observed in southern Puget Sound during 1994 aerial and vessel surveys. Since 2009, sightings, strandings and acoustic detections have increased, suggesting their recolonization of Puget Sound. We present the first regional and seasonal density estimates of harbor porpoise available for Puget Sound waters since the 1990s. We conducted systematic line-transect aerial surveys for marine mammals in eight sub-regions of Puget Sound in 2013-2015 during spring, summer and fall, funded by the U.S. Navy.

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  • 115.23 KB
Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
Stewart et al.
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Date Published:
  • January 1, 2025

Characterizing Behavior Distribution Salmonids Whales Offshore Marine Waters Washington

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Date Published:
  • April 28, 2025

The Southern distinct population segment (sDPS) of green sturgeon Acipenser medirostris is federally listed as a threatened species under the United States (U.S.) Endangered Species Act (ESA). Large aggregations of both the Northern distinct population segment (nDPS) and sDPS of green sturgeon can be found congregating in Washington’s coastal estuaries mid-summer. This provides a unique opportunity to capture and study this elusive species. Existing telemetric data indicates that these fish make long migrations along the Pacific Coast with a possible year-round presence in near-shore marine waters along Washington and Oregon’s coastline. The U.S. Navy is interested in the occurrence of the threatened sDPS of green sturgeon in the Northwest Training and Testing (NWTT) study area (offshore of Washington, Oregon, and northern California).

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  • 26,649.92 KB
Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
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Date Published:
  • February 1, 2017

Underwater ambient and anthropogenic sounds were recorded over multiple years at two U.S. Navy training areas, one in the Gulf of Alaska and the other offshore of the northwest coast of the continental U.S. The Gulf of Alaska Temporary Maritime Activities Area (GATMAA) was acoustically monitored for marine mammal, ambient, and anthropogenic sounds from July 2011 to September 2015. The Northwest Training Range Complex (NWTRC) was also monitored for sounds from marine mammals, ambient soundscape, and anthropogenic sources from September 2004 to May 2014.

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  • 11,685.16 KB
Ocean:Region:Species:Methods:
Current
Acoustic Ecology of Northwest Atlantic Shelf Break Cetaceans and Effects of Anthropogenic Noise Impacts
Project Objectives
Assess the acoustic niche of marine mammal species and anthropogenic contributors to disturbance
View project
Complete
Acoustic Monitoring and Evaluation of Tursiops Response to MINEX Training activities
Project Objectives
Assess ocurrence of Tursiops in the vicinity of the W-50 MINEX range. Assess vocal response of Tursiops to underwater explosions
View project
Complete
Assessment of Marine Mammal Vocal Response to Sonar
Project Objectives
Develop analytic methods to evaluate the vocal response of odontocetes and mysticetes to sonar from navy training activities
View project
Current
Atlantic and Shortnose Sturgeon Monitoring in the Lower Kennebec River
Project Objectives
Assess Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon seasonal occurrence, migration, and overwintering
View project
Current
Atlantic Behavioral Response Study
Project Objectives
Assess behavioral response of beaked and pilot whales to mid-frequency tactical sonar
View project
Complete
Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (AMAPPS)
Project Objectives
Assess the abundance, distribution, ecology, and behavior of marine mammals, sea turtles, and seabirds in U.S. Atlantic EEZ
View project
Complete
Autonomous Real-Time Passive Acoustic Monitoring of Baleen Whales for Mitigating Interactions with Naval Activities
Project Objectives
Demonstrate near real-time passive acoustic detection and classification hardware/software systems
View project
Complete
Baseline Monitoring for Marine Mammals in the East Coast Range Complexes (aerial surveys)
Project Objectives
Assess occurrence, habitat associations, and density of marine mammals and sea turtles in key areas of Navy range complexes
View project
Complete
Baseline Monitoring for Marine Mammals in the East Coast Range Complexes (passive acoustics)
Project Objectives
Assess occurrence, density, and vocal activity of marine mammals and sea turtles in key areas of Navy range complexes
View project
Complete
Baseline Monitoring for Marine Mammals in the East Coast Range Complexes (vessel surveys)
Project Objectives
Assess occurrence, habitat associations, and stock structure of marine mammals and sea turtles in key areas of Navy range complexes
View project
Current
Behavioral Response Analysis of Two Populations of Short-Finned Pilot Whales to Mid-Frequency Active Sonar
Project Objectives
Utilize newly developed statistical methods from the Atlantic BRS project and apply them to all the satellite-tagged pilot whales from both the Atlantic and Pacific studies.
View project
Complete
Behavioral Response of Humpback Whales to Vessel Traffic
Project Objectives
Understand the behavioral response of humpback whales to approaching vessels in the shipping channels at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.
View project
Complete
Bottlenose Dolphin Occurrence in Estuarine and Coastal Waters near Panama City, Florida
Project Objectives
Determine species occurrence, and distribution, habitat use, and abundance of Tursiops in St. Andrew Bay and coastal waters adjacent to the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division.
View project
Current
Distribution of Gulf Sturgeon in the Panama City Testing Range
Project Objectives
Assess Gulf Sturgeon distribution and habitat use through a multi-phase biotelemetry approach
View project
Complete
Effectiveness of Navy Lookout Teams in Detecting Cetaceans
Project Objectives
Obtain data to characterize the potential exposure of marine mammals and ESA-listed marine species to Navy training and testing activities, evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation measures
View project
Current
Green and Kemp's Ridley Turtle Tagging for Availability Bias Estimates
Project Objectives
Assess availability bias and habitat associations of endangered Kemp’s ridley and threatened green sea turtles to improve spatial density models
View project
Complete
Haul-Out Counts and Photo-Identification of Pinnipeds in Narragansett Bay, RI
Project Objectives
Document seasonal occurrence, habitat use, and haul-out patterns of seals
View project
Current
Haul-Out Counts and Photo-Identification of Pinnipeds in Virginia
Project Objectives
Document seasonal occurrence, habitat use, and haul-out patterns of seals
View project
Current
Jacksonville Shallow Water Training Range Vessel Surveys and M3R Species Verifications
Project Objectives
Monitor species composition and distribution on JSWTR, support M3R species verifications
View project
Complete
Lower Chesapeake Bay Sea Turtle Tagging and Tracking
Project Objectives
Assess ocurrence and behavior of loggerhead, green, and Kemp's ridley sea turtles in the Hampton Roads region of Chesapeake Bay and coastal Atlantic Ocean
View project
Complete
Mid-Atlantic Autonomous Passive Acoustic Monitoring
Project Objectives
Monitor large whale occurrence in the mid-Atlantic
View project
Complete
Mid-Atlantic Humpback Whale Catalog
Project Objectives
Establish a centralized collaborative humpback whale photo-id catalog for the mid-Atlantic and southeast regions to support management and environmental planning
View project
Complete
Mid-Atlantic Humpback Whale Monitoring
Project Objectives
Assess occurrence, habitat use, and baseline behavior of humpback whales in the mid-Atlantic region
View project
Current
Mid-Atlantic Nearshore & Mid-shelf Baleen Whale Monitoring
Project Objectives
Assess occurrence, habitat use, and baseline behavior of baleen whales in the mid-Atlantic region
View project
Current
Mid-Atlantic Offshore Cetacean Study
Project Objectives
Assess occurrence, habitat use, and baseline behavior of cetaceans in the offshore and continental shelf break region of the VACAPES OPAREA
View project
Complete
NAS Patuxent River Marine Species Surveys
Project Objectives
Assess occurrence, seasonality, and abundance of Tursiops in the waters near NAS PAX River
View project
Complete
North Atlantic Right Whale Monitoring in the Southeast Calving Area
Project 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
View project
Current
North Atlantic Right Whale Monitoring, Conservation, and Protection
Project Objectives
Assess occurrence, habitat use, and behavior of North Atlantic right whales in the mid-Atlantic region
View project
Current
Occurrence of Rice's Whale in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
Project Objectives
Assess occurrence and distribution of Rice's whale throughout the northern Gulf of Mexico
View project
Complete
Occurrence, Distribution, and Density of Marine Mammals Near Naval Station Norfolk and Virginia Beach
Project Objectives
Assess occurrence, seasonality, and abundance of Tursiops in the coastal waters of Hampton Roads military installations
View project
Complete
Occurrence, Ecology, and Behavior of Deep-diving Odontocetes
Project Objectives
Establish behavioral baseline and foraging ecology. Assess behavioral response to acoustic stimuli and Navy training activities
View project
Current
Passive Acoustic Monitoring for Mid-Atlantic Baleen Whales
Project Objectives
Monitor large whale occurrence in the Mid-Atlantic
View project
Complete
Passive Acoustic Monitoring for North Atlantic Right Whales off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
Project Objectives
Investigate the timing of right whale migration through the Mid-Atlantic region, as well as the relative distance from shore and acoustic behavior of migrating whales
View project
Complete
Pinniped Monitoring in the Northeast
Project Objectives
Document habitat use, haul-out patterns, and baseline behavior of seals
View project
Complete
Pinniped Tagging and Tracking in Southeast Virginia
Project Objectives
Document habitat use, movement and haul-out patterns of seals in the Hampton Roads region of Chesapeake Bay and coastal Atlantic Ocean
View project
Complete
Sound source measurements from pile driving
Project Objectives
Determine the source levels produced by impact and vibratory driving of different size and material piles during construction projects
View project
Current
Time-lapse Camera Surveys of Pinnipeds in Southeastern Virginia
Project Objectives
Document seasonal occurrence, habitat use, and haul-out patterns of seals
View project
Another CEE Trial – and Gervais’ beaked whales!
August 10, 2026
A second controlled exposure experiment trial with simulated Continuously Active Sonar (CAS) was conducted on August 1. In addition to the usual goose-beaked whales, we also had a sighting of less common Gervais' beaked whales.
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First CEE Trial of 2026 – and False Killer Whales
July 23, 2026
The Atlantic BRS team had an extremely productive day on Friday, July 17th with tags deployed on both false killer whales and goose-beaked whales, as well as a successful controlled exposure experiment with simulated Continuous Active Sonar signals.
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Happy Whale Humpback Happenings
June 22, 2026
A few interesting matches have come out of our Mid-Atlantic Humpback Whale Catalog efforts and partnership with Happy Whale!
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Kemp’s ridley / Loggerhead Hybrid Turtle Tagged at Jekyll Island
June 15, 2026
Researchers were surprised by an unusual turtle that stranded in Georgia-- a Kemp’s ridley / Loggerhead Hybrid Turtle, and were able to tag the animal for release.
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A Macrocephalus Mother's Day Tradition
May 27, 2026
HDR-lead team encountered a group of mainly female sperm whales with calves on Mother's Day for the 2nd year in a row, and successfully deployed a tag from a drone. We believe it's the first CATS tag deployed on a sperm whale via drone.
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First drone tag drop!
February 19, 2026
It's been a long time coming but we finally have a new drone equipped to deploy suction cup tags on whales.
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First Tagged Sea Turtle Released from Jekyll Island, Georgia
October 17, 2025
Collaborators at the Jekyll Island Authority in Georgia have released the first satellite-tagged green turtle in Georgia waters under the Navy’s “Green and Kemp's Ridley Turtle Tagging for Availability Bias Estimates” Project.
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Controlled Exposure Experiment Trial with Simulated CAS Signals
October 1, 2025
On Friday, September 19th, the project team led by Duke University and Southall Environmental Associates conducted a Controlled Exposure Experiment (CEE) trial with goose-beaked whales Ziphius cavirostris in our study area off Cape Hatteras. They generated simulated Continuous Active Sonar (CAS) signals with a brand-new sound source built specifically for this purpose.
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Atlantic BRS - successful CEE trial with the USS Donald Cook
July 22, 2025
The Atlantic BRS team just completed a successful controlled exposure experiment with the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) involving eight satellite-tagged beaked whales off Cape Hatteras.
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Green turtles are back on the Space Coast
July 21, 2025
A field team led by co-Principle Investigator Dr. Kate Mansfield of the Marine Turtle Research Group at the University of Central Florida kicked off the second year of tagging for our “Kemp’s Ridley and Green Sea Turtle Tagging for Availability Bias Analysis” project.
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Atlantic BRS - field work update
July 16, 2025
You never know what you will see offshore, and this weekend was no exception.
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Atlantic BRS 2025 - Old Friends & Baby Beaked Whales
June 26, 2025
Field work recently kicked off for the Atlantic BRS project field season and we're happy to say that things appear much more "normal" compared to 2024 when Ziphius were relatively scarce at the Hatteras study site.
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Kemp's on the move!
May 19, 2025
Five Kemp’s ridley turtles satellite tagged on the east coast of Florida have moved out of Florida waters.
Read post
2024-2025 Large Whale Season Summary
March 24, 2025
We have two separate efforts focusing on cetaceans off the coast of Virginia. The first is our Offshore (Outer Continental Shelf) Cetacean Study, which focuses primarily on deep diving odontocetes like sperm whales. The second effort is our Nearshore and Mid-Shelf Baleen Whale Monitoring Project.
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Winter is here in Virginia, and so are the seals!
January 21, 2025
NAVFAC LANT researchers are back at it for the 11th field season of monitoring gray and harbor seals at two major haul-out locations in southeastern Virginia.
Read post
Aerial Surveys to Confirm Seal Haul-out Sites in Virginia
January 14, 2025
Each fall/winter, some portion of the Northwest Atlantic harbor seal population that summers in New England make their way south to Virginia.
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Right whale calf sighted off Virginia!
December 20, 2024
On December 18, 2024, during a survey off Virginia Beach, researchers from HDR Inc. and NAVFAC LANT observed North Atlantic right whale #4540 with her first known calf. This sighting is notable as it's the earliest recorded instance of a newborn right whale calf in Virginia waters, suggesting a possible shift in calving locations northward from the typical areas off Florida and Georgia.
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Successful CEE Trial with the USS Thomas Hudner
July 24, 2024
In July 2024, the Atlantic Behavioral Response Study, led by Duke University, conducted a successful controlled exposure experiment (CEE) involving the USS Thomas Hudner and tagged goose-beaked whales off Cape Hatteras. The study assessed the whales' behavioral responses to Continuous Active Sonar (CAS) signals, utilizing a High Frequency Recording Package (HARP) for sound recordings and coordination with the USS Thomas Hudner for sonar signal transmission. Preliminary observations suggested minimal behavioral changes in the focal whale, Zc150, during the experiment.
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Males have joined the turtle tagging party
July 15, 2024
Researchers from Inwater Research Group (IRG), supported by Dr. Kate Mansfield of the UCF Marine Turtle Research Group and Andrew DiMatteo of CheloniData LLC, have deployed a satellite-linked data logger on an adult male green sea turtle in St. Lucie County, Florida. This initiative aims to study the diving behavior and habitat use of male green turtles along the U.S. east coast.
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First Satellite Tag Deployments for Atlantic BRS 2024
July 8, 2024
In June 2024, a Duke University team initiated the Atlantic Behavioral Response Study (BRS) by deploying satellite-linked dive recorders on goose-beaked whales (Cuvier's beaked whales) off the coast of North Carolina. These tags collect data on the whales' diving behavior and locations, enhancing understanding of their baseline activities. Additionally, the team released a rehabilitated hawksbill sea turtle named Bagheera back into the Atlantic Ocean.
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Back in the turtle tagging business
June 28, 2024
Researchers at the University of Central Florida (UCF), led by Dr. Kate Mansfield and supported by the UCF Marine Turtle Research Group and Andrew DiMatteo of CheloniData LLC, deployed five satellite-linked data loggers on adult nesting green turtles at the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge in Florida during the week of June 17th.
Read post
Whales of Summer
June 10, 2024
In the mid-Atlantic, baleen whale sightings typically occur during the colder months, with peak activity in December and January. Sightings of humpback and right whales usually decrease by late March through April. While occasional baleen whale sightings, particularly of fin whales, happen during warmer months, large groups are uncommon as summer approaches. Pelagic surveys during this time often focus on odontocetes like sperm whales and beaked whales.
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New Right Whale Calf Seen Off Virginia!
June 3, 2024
On Saturday 01 June 2024 during one of our offshore surveys 60 miles southeast of Virginia Beach, we encountered North Atlantic right whale Pico (Catalog #3270) and her calf!
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Seal Tagged in 2022 is Back Again!
February 14, 2024
On 10 February 2024, a local wildlife enthusiast, Caroline Prevost, was out on the Chesapeake Bay when she observed some harbor seals enjoying time in the water near island 4 of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.
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Seal Surveillance Continues!
February 5, 2024
The haul-out counts and camera trap studies are continuing this winter, and have been in full swing.
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Large Whale Action in the Mid-Atlantic
January 30, 2024
After a relatively slow start to the 2023-2024 large whale season, things are picking up here in the Mid-Atlantic. Last week was the busiest we’ve had so far this season for several of our projects as well as adjacent colleagues.
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Using drones to study whales from a new perspective
November 21, 2023
Small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) or “drones” are increasingly being used to study marine mammals from a different perspective.
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It’s Whale Season in the Mid-Atlantic!
November 20, 2023
Baleen whale season has started in the mid-Atlantic and we have several projects in the region studying their occurrence and behavior.
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Humpbacks - New visitors and familiar friends in the Mid-Atlantic
November 20, 2023
On 16 November 2023, the weather lined up perfectly for HDR Inc. to go out in their small boat for some large whale survey work under the Mid-Atlantic Nearshore and Mid-shelf Baleen Whale Monitoring Project.
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Coming full circle – right whale mom returns with calf
March 15, 2023
Previously CATS tagged Right whale "Smoke" is sighted again in VA with a calf.
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Right Whale Party in the Mid-Atlantic
February 4, 2023
A Surface Active Group of North Atlantic right whales off the coast of Virginia.
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An Urban Whale
February 3, 2023
A juvenile North Atlantic right whale finds itself in a busy area.
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Right whales are on the move!
November 23, 2022
Two female right whales were sighted off Virginia during their southbound migration.
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Cuvier's from Cape to Canyon
September 16, 2022
Photo ID match of a Goose-beaked whale between Cape Hatteras and Virginia Beach after two years.
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Atlantic BRS – 2022 CEE with the USS Farragut
August 26, 2022
A controlled exposure success story using a Navy ship.
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NARW tagged off VA Beach!
March 2, 2022
A yearling right whale was tagged off Virginia.
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Pinniped season has begun in SE Virginia
October 27, 2021
Camera traps have been installed to track seals in Virginia.
Read post
Atlantic BRS - First CEE of 2021
August 9, 2021
A team of researchers and Navy staff recently completed the first controlled exposure experiment of the 2021 field season for the Atlantic Behavioral Response Study.
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Atlantic Behavioral Response Study kicks off 2021 field season
July 13, 2021
The Atlantic Behavioral Response Study kicked off the 2021 field season last week by deploying the first round of satellite-linked telemetry tags on Cuvier's beaked whales.
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Blue whale tagged off the coast of Virginia
April 26, 2021
Details on the first blue whale tagged in the region.
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Tracking an endangered North Atlantic right whale
March 15, 2021
A yearling right whale was tagged off the coast of VA and tracked for 12 days.
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Drone footage of a blue whale off the coast of Virginia!
March 14, 2021
Blue whale footage from Virginia
Read post
Drone footage of humpback whale bubble-net feeding off the coast of Virginia
February 18, 2021
Humpback whale "Tobin" bubblenet feeding off VA.
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Fantastic video of an encounter with North Atlantic right whales off the coast of Virginia Beach
January 27, 2021
Footage of three right whales off Virginia.
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New acoustic monitoring buoy helps researchers study and protect North Atlantic Right Whales
January 19, 2021
A new buoy to listen for protected whales.
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Entangled humpback whale
January 8, 2021
Our team assisted with the disentanglement efforts of a young humpback whale.
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Atlantic BRS - First CEE of 2020
July 17, 2020
The first CEE of 2020 overcame the challenges of COVID-19.
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Atlantic BRS - Multi-scale CEE Success!
August 15, 2019
The first CEE while two different tag types were deployed.
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Fin and blue whale feeding aggregation observed in Norfolk Canyon study area
March 26, 2019
Baleen whale feeding assemblage offshore of Virginia.
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One whale tagged twice.
March 8, 2019
D-tag and limpet tag on a humpback whale.
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Sowerby's beaked whales encountered at Norfolk Canyon
January 7, 2019
Excellent drone footage of a group of rarely seen beaked whales.
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Sowerby's beaked whale tagged offshore of Virginia
September 12, 2018
A rarely seen beaked whale was tracked offshore.
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Blue whales and sei whales and right whales - OH MY!!!
April 18, 2018
A spring aggregation of endangered whales offshore.
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Repeat tagging customers to humpback monitoring project
January 30, 2018
Some interesting notes on site fidelity in Humpack whales.
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First Harbor Seal Haul-Out Survey of the Season in Virginia
December 19, 2017
Seals have arrived in Virginia
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Sperm whales tagged off Virginia Beach
August 25, 2017
Several groups of sperm whales were sighted offshore of VA.
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"Purple Heart" sea turtle released back into the ocean
June 12, 2017
Rescued sea turtle is tagged and released by a retired Marine.
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Bonus tagging in JAX
June 15, 2016
Odontocete tagging in Florida.
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Tagging Atlantic Humpbacks
January 8, 2016
Year two of our Chesapeake Bay humpback whale project has begun!
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Panama City Dolphin Survey Complete!
August 12, 2015
Bottlenose dolphin photo ID efforts in Florida
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Turtle Tagging Season Has Begun!
May 18, 2015
Tagging loggerhead and Kemp's ridley sea turtles off Virginia.
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Great Day for a Mid-Atlantic Offshore Survey
April 20, 2015
Pelagic cetaceans and sea turtle sightings.
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Humpbacks Have Arrived!
December 30, 2014
It's winter in Virginia and that means whales!
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White “Leucistic” Bottlenose Dolphin Seen on Marine Mammal Survey
October 30, 2014
Leucism, like albinism, is a genetic condition that results in a lack of pigmentation in the skin.
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Tagging Deep Diving Odontocetes Off Cape Hatteras - Part 3
September 26, 2014
Details on the 3rd field session for the year.
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Atlantic Technical Review Meeting
March 24, 2014
Annual Meeting Details
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North Atlantic Right Whale Disentanglement
March 3, 2014
Our team provided assistance to a disentanglement effort.
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Sea Turtle Rehabilitation and Release
November 26, 2013
Tagging rescued sea turtles.
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Passive acoustic monitoring for right whales off Cape Hatteras
October 21, 2013
MARUs off NC
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Spinnaker sighted off Virginia Beach
September 25, 2013
A well known whale makes a visit.
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Atlantic sea turtle tagging project is underway!
July 17, 2013
The start of a new turtle project.
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Harbor seal distribution along the United States (U.S.) Atlantic coast appears to be expanding. During the fall of 2014, we began an investigation of harbor seal presence in the lower Chesapeake Bay, VA (Figure 1). The study is ongoing in 2017-2018…
U.S. Navy explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) training events have the potential to affect marine mammals. The EOD team locates simulated underwater mines and “neutralizes” them using an explosive charge. Acoustic and visual monitoring for marine…