US Navy
Marine Species Monitoring
Atlantic Region: Current Projects
Atlantic Fleet Training & Testing Monitoring Projects
The table below summarizes marine species monitoring projets being conducted in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico in support of Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) Marine Mammal Protection Act requirements (50 CFR Part 218). Reports and data from these projects will be made available on the individual project profile pages and the Reading Room as they become available.
Project titles link directly to individual project profile pages with additional details and access to data and reports.
*Intermediate Scientific Objectives are established in coordination with NMFS through the Strategic Planning Process to help prioritize monitoring investments
| Project Description | Intermediate Scientific Objective* | Status |
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Title: Behavioral Response Analysis of Two Populations of Short-Finned Pilot Whales to Mid-Frequency Active Sonar
Location: Atlantic and Pacific (Hawaii) 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. Methods: Controlled exposure experiments, DTAGs, satellite tags, passive acoustic monitoring Performing Organizations: Naval Information Warfare Center, Sea Inc., National Marine Mammal Foundation, Naval Postgraduate School, Cascadia Research Collective, Duke University Timeline: 24 months Funding: FY24 - $20K, FY25 - $150K |
Evaluate behavioral responses of marine mammals exposed to Navy training and testing activities |
Ongoing |
|
Title: Atlantic and Shortnose Sturgeon Monitoring in the Lower Kennebec River
Location: Lower Kennebec River, including Bath Iron Works and Offshore Popham Beach Objectives: Assess Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon seasonal occurrence, migration, and overwintering Methods: Acoustic tagging Performing Organizations: NUWC Newport (lead); collaborating: Maine Department of Marine Resources, U.S. Geological Survey, PSNY, University of Maine, University of Maryland Timeline: 2021–2024 Funding: FY22 - $60K, FY23 - $103K, FY24 - $68K |
Establish the baseline habitat uses, seasonality, and movement patterns of marine mammals and ESA-listed species where Navy training and testing activities occur
|
Data collection in progress |
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Title: Haul-Out Counts and Photo-Identification of Pinnipeds in Virginia
Location: Lower Chesapeake Bay and Eastern Shore of Virginia Objectives: Document seasonal occurrence, habitat use, and haul-out patterns of seals Methods: Visual surveys, photo ID Performing Organizations: NAVFAC Atlantic, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries,The Nature Conservancy, HDR Inc. Timeline: 2014-ongoing Funding: Funding: FY15 - $52K, FY16 - $36K, FY17 - $7K, FY18 - $29K, FY19 - $62K, FY20 - $40K, FY21 - $39K, FY22 - $93k, FY23 - $115K, FY24 - $30K, FY25 - $50K |
Estimate the density of marine mammals and sea turtles in Navy range complexes and in specific training areas Establish the baseline habitat uses and movement patterns of marine mammals and sea turtles where Navy training and testing activities occur Evaluate trends in distribution and abundance of populations that are regularly exposed to sonar and underwater explosives |
Fieldwork ongoing |
|
Title: Time-lapse Camera Surveys of Pinnipeds in Southeastern Virginia
Location: Lower Chesapeake Bay and Eastern Shore of Virginia Objectives: Document seasonal occurrence, habitat use, and haul-out patterns of seals Methods: Visual surveys Performing Organizations: NAVFAC Atlantic, The Nature Conservancy Timeline: 2019-ongoing Funding: FY19 - $15k, FY20 - $18k, FY21 - $11k, FY22- $34k, FY23- $42k |
Estimate the density of marine mammals and sea turtles in Navy range complexes and in specific training areas Establish the baseline habitat uses and movement patterns of marine mammals and sea turtles where Navy training and testing activities occur Evaluate trends in distribution and abundance of populations that are regularly exposed to sonar and underwater explosives |
Data collection ongoing |
|
Title: North Atlantic Right Whale Monitoring
Location: U.S. Mid-Atlantic Objectives: Assess occurrence, habitat use, and behavior of North Atlantic right whales in the mid-Atlantic region Methods: Visual surveys, morphometrics, tagging, passive acoustics Performing Organizations: HDR Inc., Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Duke University Timeline: Ongoing Funding: $500k+ annually |
Establish the baseline habitat uses and movement patterns of marine mammals where Navy training and testing activities occur Establish the baseline behavior (foraging, dive patterns, etc.) of marine mammals where Navy training and testing activities occur |
Ongoing |
|
Title: Mid-Atlantic Nearshore & Mid-shelf Baleen Whale Monitoring
Location: VACAPES Mid-Atlantic shelf Objectives: Assess occurrence, habitat use, and baseline behavior of baleen whales in the mid-Atlantic region Methods: Visual surveys, focal follow observation, morphometrics, photo ID, biopsy sampling, satellite tagging Performing Organizations: HDR Inc, Kimora Solutions, NAVFAC Atlantic Timeline: 2021-ongoing Funding: FY22 - $570K, FY23 - $1M |
Establish the baseline habitat uses and movement patterns of marine mammals where Navy training and testing activities occur Establish the baseline behavior (foraging, dive patterns, etc.) of marine mammals where Navy training and testing activities occur |
Ongoing Expansion of previous humpback whale monitoring |
|
Title: Mid-Atlantic Offshore Cetacean Study
Location: Offshore Mid-Atlantic shelf and shelf break (VACAPES OPAREA) Objectives: Assess occurrence, habitat use, and baseline behavior of cetaceans in the offshore and continental shelf break region of the VACAPES OPAREA Methods: Visual surveys, focal follow observational methods, photo ID, biopsy sampling, satellite tagging Performing Organizations: HDR Inc. Timeline: 2016-ongoing Funding: FY16 - $645k, FY18 - $322k, FY19 - $357k, FY20 - $371k, FY21 - $430k, FY22 - $530k, FY23 - $435K |
Establish the baseline habitat uses and movement patterns of marine mammals where Navy training and testing activities occur Establish the baseline behavior (foraging, dive patterns, etc.) of marine mammals where Navy training and testing activities occur |
Ongoing Primary focus shifted to sperm whale feeding ecology focus in 2020 |
