• Regulations and requirements for monitoring and Regulations and requirements for monitoring and mitigating potential impacts from anthropogenic mitigating potential impacts from anthropogenic activities on marine mammals: e.g., ship strikes and activities on marine mammals: e.g., ship strikes and noise. Is New York State prepared?noise. Is New York State prepared?

• Whales have specialized adaptations for the ocean Whales have specialized adaptations for the ocean environment – and they are acoustically activeenvironment – and they are acoustically active

• Benefits from acoustic monitoring researchBenefits from acoustic monitoring research

• Technologies that provide some solutionsTechnologies that provide some solutions

• Marine Mammals in New York State: Where are we and Marine Mammals in New York State: Where are we and where are we going?where are we going?

OverviewOverview

• NOAA) is mandated by the Endangered Species Act NOAA) is mandated by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to (ESA) and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to reduce anthropogenic mortalities to endangered whales. reduce anthropogenic mortalities to endangered whales.

• NOAA has determined that serious injury or mortality of NOAA has determined that serious injury or mortality of even a single individual Northern Right Whale can even a single individual Northern Right Whale can jeopardize the population’s recovery (other species of jeopardize the population’s recovery (other species of concern include humpback, fin and beaked whales; concern include humpback, fin and beaked whales; fishes and turtles.)fishes and turtles.)

• Federal or state actions that could lead to increased risk Federal or state actions that could lead to increased risk of serious injury or mortality must contain plans to of serious injury or mortality must contain plans to monitor and mitigate impact to endangered species .monitor and mitigate impact to endangered species .

• Therefore, there is a regulatory need to address Therefore, there is a regulatory need to address monitoring and mitigation of ship strikes and acoustic monitoring and mitigation of ship strikes and acoustic harassment from anthropogenic activities. harassment from anthropogenic activities.

R & RR & R

There are Complex Linkages between Climate There are Complex Linkages between Climate Variability, Food Availability and Whales Variability, Food Availability and Whales

Slied courtesy of Stormy MayoSlied courtesy of Stormy Mayo

• If you want to know if whales are present, listening is better than looking (i.e., Acoustic monitoring has a higher probability of detecting whales than visual survey.)

• Whales are detected everywhere you sample (plus you get fish, vessel traffic, and unidentified objects)

• Acoustically, coastal habitats are becoming urbanized and industrialized (i.e., noise levels around ports of entry are equal to or higher than OSHA thresholds)

• Fish – the unknown casualty?

What Have We Learned?

• Is there a marine mammal monitoring program?Is there a marine mammal monitoring program?

• Do we know what’s out there, how many and where?Do we know what’s out there, how many and where?

• Are we training the next generation of scientists, managers, Are we training the next generation of scientists, managers, regulators?regulators?

• Are there adequate preparations for LNG terminals?Are there adequate preparations for LNG terminals?

• Is the Port of New York in compliance with ship strike risk Is the Port of New York in compliance with ship strike risk reduction requirements?reduction requirements?

• Wouldn’t it be wise and prudent to “listen” around one of the Wouldn’t it be wise and prudent to “listen” around one of the world’s busiest and economically important ports to know world’s busiest and economically important ports to know what’s out there?what’s out there?

Where is New York State?Where is New York State?