Examples of ocean noise-related initiatives

Reducing the impacts of ocean noise from vessels: Government of Canada support for innovation in the marine transport sector

The world's ocean covers more than 70% of the Earth's surface and is home to millions of marine species.^{Footnote 1} It also serves as a vital economic link connecting people, countries and markets. While the transport of consumer goods and industrial materials via commercial shipping is vital to the world economy, underwater ocean noise (hereafter "ocean noise"), generated from tens of thousands of vessels each year negatively impacts marine life, including marine mammals.^{Footnote 2},^{Footnote 3},^{Footnote 4} In addition to the noise generated by large ocean-going vessels, coastal vessels such as tankers, tugboats, fishing boats and recreational boats contribute to the overall acoustic noise environment.^{Footnote 5} The number and size of vessels, along with the ocean noise they generate, has been increasing over the last century, jeopardizing the well-being of many marine species.

In the world of commercial shipbuilding and operation, the idea of making vessels quieter using new designs and technologies is a recent development. As a result, there is limited understanding of the most efficient technologies, operational practices and vessel designs needed to minimize ocean noise in many different vessel categories.^{Footnote 6} To help address this issue, Transport Canada is exploring ways to enhance researchers' and designers' expertise to enable them to build and operate quieter vessels.

Transport Canada's Quiet Vessel Initiative (QVI) was launched in 2019, building on the Oceans Protection Plan, to enhance the protection of Canada's endangered, iconic whale populations. QVI contributes to the Government of Canada's commitment to address ocean noise by providing funding for research, testing and deployment projects. These projects aim to make vessels quieter by:

• improving their initial design
• providing options for retrofitting existing vessels
• developing more efficient operating practices

The overall goal of these research and development projects is to speed up the adoption of vessel improvements in Canada and around the world to reduce the impacts of ocean noise on marine life. These projects are contributing technical evidence needed to support Canada's efforts to manage ocean noise and to influence global quiet vessel design guidelines through the International Maritime Organization.

The following examples of QVI projects offer additional context regarding the initiative:

Underwater radiated noise and greenhouse gas reduction program for Canada's inshore fishing craft

Canadian company Graphite Innovation and Technologies (GIT) created an innovative graphene-based hull coating and tested its impact on reducing fuel consumption and ocean noise by conducting full-scale trials on fishing vessels. Successful trials led to partnerships with shipping organizations like KOTUG Canada, which are now using the coating to minimize ocean noise and vibrations from the vessel's hull.

Propeller cavitation monitoring

Propeller cavitation occurs when a vessel's spinning propeller creates turbulence and low-pressure areas that create small air bubbles in the water. When these bubbles burst, they make loud popping sounds underwater which can disturb many marine species.^{Footnote 7}

Allsalt Maritime, a research and development company specializing in minimizing the impact and vibration experienced by humans on vessels, initiated a project with the specific aim of adapting their KINETIX technology to monitor propeller cavitation in real-time. This real-time information can help vessel captains of smaller vessels like fishing boats and ferries change their vessel's speed, or other characteristics, to reduce cavitation noise and benefiting marine life.

Expertise and collaboration in advancing quiet vessel design

Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) serves as the research and development division for the Department of National Defence and the Royal Canadian Navy. They have extensive expertise in the design and operation of quiet vessels.

In 2019, DRDC and Transport Canada signed an agreement leading to:

• progress in estimating and monitoring ocean noise using onboard sensors
• improving propeller design tools
• strengthening the exchange of technical expertise within the federal government

Correlation between propeller characteristics and noise

With a fleet of 35 vessels, several of which operate within the critical habitat of the Southern Resident killer whale, BC Ferries has a particular interest in mitigating the impact of its vessels' operations.

Since 2019, Transport Canada has funded a project led by BC Ferries to explore the design of new propellers to reduce ocean noise emissions. BC Ferries has used results from this study to include noise reducing characteristics in potential future propeller designs.

BC Ferries has also actively participated in several other projects funded by Transport Canada, providing their vessels as platforms for tests and trials that contribute to advancing knowledge on reducing ocean noise.

Supporting vessel source-level measurement standards for shallow water

Accurately measuring ocean noise from vessels in shallow water is challenging because of the ways sound interacts with the sea floor and sea surface.^{Footnote 8},^{Footnote 9}

Currently, measurements are taken in deep water to reduce these challenges, but this approach limits the testing locations and conditions leading to notable gaps in understanding.

JASCO Applied Sciences has been evaluating different approaches to both help address this issue and contribute to the development of an International Standards Organization (ISO) standard for measuring noise in shallow water. As shipbuilding and shipping are international industries, having such a standard is crucial for ensuring consistent and accurate measurement of vessel noise levels.

Alignment of quiet ship classifications

Marine classification is a safety-promoting system that ensures vessels and marine facilities comply with established technical standards during design, construction and maintenance.

In Canada, various authorized marine classification societies assess and certify new ships by evaluating them against the technical standards and assigning them a designated class based on their design.^{Footnote 10}

For this project, Transport Canada collaborated with the Vancouver-Fraser Port Authority's Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation program (ECHO). The aim was to improve the coordination of measurement, analysis and reporting techniques used by the different marine classification societies.

The project focused specifically on developing consistent methods for the classification of a quiet ship, facilitating comparisons and encouraging a standardized approach to designing vessels with reduced noise. ECHO conducted workshops with different classification societies to further this goal. The Recommended Procedures for Measuring Underwater Radiated Noise Emissions of Ships, for Quiet Ship Certification report (PDF, 799 KB).

Transport Canada further promotes innovative solutions through its participation in the development of noise-reducing vessel design standards at the International Maritime Organization (IMO). In 2023, the IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80) adopted the Revised Guidelines for the Reduction of Underwater Radiated Noise from shipping to Reduce Adverse Impacts on Marine Life (PDF, 330 KB). The updated guidelines focus on better understanding the connections between energy efficiency, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and ocean noise. In support of this work, Transport Canada commissioned VARD Marine to study technological measures known to increase energy efficiency and reduce GHG, analyzing their effects on vessel ocean noise. The results, Ship energy efficiency and underwater radiated noise (PDF, 1,624 KB), outline technical and operational measures that have the potential to increase energy efficiency, decrease GHG emissions and/or mitigate ocean noise from vessels. This information can be used by vessel owners, operators and ship builders to make informed design decisions, leading to the construction of more efficient and quieter vessels.

These efforts, among other projects, collectively represent a substantial commitment to reducing the environmental impact of vessel noise while advancing the science and technology of quiet vessel design and operation. The integration of scientific and technological expertise with the input and participation of a wide range of partners and stakeholders is crucial in developing strategies for reducing ocean noise from vessels. These collaborative efforts support both environmental conservation and technological innovation to enable both the protection of marine species and the sustainable growth of the marine economy.

Collaborating to reduce the impacts of underwater ocean noise on endangered Southern Resident killer whales

As apex predators, killer whales (Orcinus orca) are a vital part of the marine ecosystem and have cultural significance for Indigenous peoples and coastal communities in British Columbia. Southern Resident killer whales, a distinct population of killer whales that frequents the Salish Sea, have been listed as endangered under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) since 2003. The survival of this small and declining population – estimated at only 75 individuals as of July 2023^{Footnote 1} – is threatened by several factors:

• decreased availability of their primary food source, Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
• increased health impacts from persistent organic pollutants and marine contaminants
• increased acoustic and physical disturbance from vessel noise and the risk of ship strikes

Like all marine mammals, Southern Resident killer whales use sound to search for food (forage), socialize and communicate with one another. Acoustic disturbance can interfere with these life functions causing changes in behaviours. For example, several studies found that when vessels were present, Southern Residents spent significantly less time foraging than when vessels were absent or further away,^{Footnote 2},^{Footnote 3},^{Footnote 4},^{Footnote 5} possibly leading to negative impacts on their physical health from reductions in food intake, especially where vessel presence overlaps with the whales' critical habitat and feeding grounds. In the Salish Sea, the overlap of designated Southern Resident killer whale critical habitat^{Footnote 6} and transboundary shipping routes represents one of many challenges associated with Southern Resident killer whale recovery. These overlaps are most notable in the southern Strait of Georgia, Haro and Juan de Fuca Strait, La Perouse and Swiftsure Banks, as well as in recreational boating areas close to major urban centers.

A Recovery Strategy was drafted for Northern and Southern Resident killer whales in Canada (2008, and amended in 2011 and 2018), with a supporting Action Plan (2017) which identified 98 measures to address threats to the species and monitor population recovery. In 2018, a science-based review of the effectiveness of these measures was conducted through the Oceans Protection Plan and 6 new measures (including ship strikes) were added for a total of 104. The Recovery Strategy also identified Northern and Southern Resident killer whale critical habitat in southern British Columbia.

Since 2018, the Government of Canada has implemented enhanced management measures to protect and further support the recovery of Southern Resident killer whales.^{Footnote 7} These measures are informed by the best available information and science as well as input from:

• the Indigenous Multi-Nation group
• the Indigenous and Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group (IMAG)
• the Southern Resident killer whales Technical Working Groups (TWGs)

Representatives include:

• Indigenous groups
• the government of British Columbia
• the scientific community
• environmental organizations
• industry
• various stakeholders.

Southern Resident killer whales are highly mobile and their habitat extends between Canadian and U.S. waters; as a result, many of these efforts have also involved transboundary collaboration.^{Footnote 8}

Annual management measures include:

• limiting vessel-approach distances (in addition to minimums established under the Fisheries Act and the Marine Mammal Regulations)
• Interim Sanctuary (“no go”) Zones
• prohibiting or reducing speeds of general vessel traffic in designated areas
• monitoring compliance of vessel traffic within these designated areas by the Canadian Coast Guard's Marine Mammal Desk
• instituting area-based fishery closures to reduce disturbance in Southern Resident killer whale foraging areas

To address knowledge gaps and inform future protection efforts, the Government of Canada has:

• evaluated the resulting noise reduction for some of the measures including in the areas where vessels were prohibited (known as Interim Sanctuary Zones)^{Footnote 9},^{Footnote 10}
• conducted research on Southern Resident killer whale summer distribution and habitat use, underwater ocean noise (Hereafter “ocean noise”) levels in critical habitat, and where there is overlap^{Footnote 11},^{Footnote 12},^{Footnote 13},^{Footnote 14},^{Footnote 15}
• created the Southern Resident killer whale Accountability Framework to help understand the degree to which short- and long-term management measures are supporting the recovery of Southern Resident killer whales

Collaboration has played an essential role in effective protection for this species. For example, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority's Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation (VFPA ECHO) program brings together government agencies, the marine transportation industry, Indigenous advisors, environmental organizations and scientists in the common goal of reducing acoustic impacts on Southern Resident killer whales. Launched in 2014, the ECHO program has successfully led ocean noise-reduction initiatives aimed at reducing acoustic disturbance in Southern Resident killer whale critical habitat. Studies undertaken showed that annual voluntary vessel slowdowns which had started in 2017^{Footnote 17} saw the highest participation during a trial period in 2022, with 93% of vessels transiting Haro Strait and Boundary Pass participating. A 48% reduction in background noise levels was recorded, compared to the levels recorded in the 60 days prior to the start of the trial.^{Footnote 18} Another initiative begun in 2018, moved tugs away from inshore Southern Resident killer whale foraging areas in Juan de Fuca Strait. In 2022, 97% of tug transits adhered to these lateral movements, resulting in substantial reductions in noise levels in the inshore Southern Resident killer whale foraging areas during each of these tug transits. ^{Footnote 9},^{Footnote 10},^{Footnote 19},^{Footnote 20}

In 2019, DFO entered into a 5-year Conservation Agreement under Section 11 of the Species at Risk Act with:

• Transport Canada
• the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and
• 6 marine transportation industry partners

The goal of the agreement was to help reduce acoustic and physical disturbance from large commercial vessels operating in Southern Resident killer whale critical habitat.^{Footnote 17}

All parties who signed this Conservation Agreement have renewed the agreement for another 5 years as of May 2024. This renewal includes commitments for advancing threat reduction efforts, such as:

• real-time whale presence notifications
• quieter vessels
• continued participation in voluntary ship slowdowns and route alteration initiatives

In further support of reducing ocean noise from ships, Transport Canada is funding ongoing research to test the most promising technologies, vessel designs, retrofits and operational practices to make vessels quieter.

The Vancouver Fraser and Prince Rupert port authorities also initiated incentive programs that offer reduced harbour fees for quieter ships.^{Footnote 21},^{Footnote 22}

The marine shipping industry's participation has been a key factor in the success of these initiatives, demonstrating how collaboration and voluntary measures can be effective tools to support the recovery of endangered populations.

Education and outreach efforts are also important elements of effective protection and various initiatives have been undertaken to increase public awareness of Southern Resident killer whales and the threats to their small population. Successful collaborations include:

• the Be Whale Wise partnership
• the Cetus Research and Conservation Society and its Straitwatch Program
• the U.S.-based Soundwatch Boater Education Program

Ensuring the effective protection and recovery of Southern Resident killer whales requires a sustained, long-term and collective effort by:

• the Government of Canada
• Indigenous governments and groups
• non-Indigenous collaborators
• stakeholders
• organizations

Initiatives and programs will continue to be adaptable and supported by the best available information, including scientific, Indigenous and local knowledge. These ongoing collective efforts will inform decisions to better protect and conserve Southern Resident killer whales into the future.

Related links

• Identification of areas for mitigation of vessel threats (PDF, 2,840 KB)

How community leadership is directing ocean noise mitigation in Canada's Arctic

The Canadian Arctic is home to the Inuit of Canada, and to the marine life and resources which they depend on. Respected and cared for by the Inuit for thousands of years, the habitats and animals that thrive here are important parts of Inuit:

• history
• modern-day culture
• spirituality
• livelihoods

The sub-zero waters of the often ice-covered Arctic Ocean give this area a unique soundscape where noise travels differently compared to warmer, non-ice-covered waters.

Rapid changes in climate are resulting in new challenges for the Arctic region. Warming temperatures and melting ice are creating new shipping routes and longer shipping seasons.^{Footnote 1} More ice-free waterways are reducing the need for specialized icebreakers^{Footnote 2} and increasing access for:

• mining
• oil and gas exploration
• commercial fishing
• research
• tourism activities

More human activity will increase underwater ocean noise and intensify its impacts on local wildlife^{Footnote 3}, including important whale species, such as:

• beluga
• bowhead
• narwhal

The offshore marine waters of the Beaufort Sea are particularly important summer foraging grounds for the populations of Eastern Beaufort Sea beluga and Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort bowhead whales,^{Footnote 4},^{Footnote 5} while Tasiujaq (Eclipse Sound) is an important summering habitat for narwhals.^{Footnote 6}

Unfortunately, an increase in ocean noise from marine transportation activity has increased in all of these areas, and there have been impacts detected on these and other important species.

For example, local harvesters, Indigenous communities, and scientists consider the displacement of narwhal from their summer habitat in Tasiujaq to be caused by increased ocean noise generated by large carriers and tankers.

This, in turn, has negative impacts on harvesting activities.^{Footnote 6}

In part as a response to the increasing stressors on marine life in the Arctic, and in keeping with the principles of protection and preservation of Arctic wildlife, the environment and biological productivity set out in the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and the Inuvialuit Game Council initiated the establishment of the:

• Tarium Niryutait Marine Protected Area (TNMPA) in 2010
• Anguniaqvia niqiqyuam Marine Protected Area (ANMPA) in 2016

The conservation objectives for both MPAs were established using Indigenous traditional and local knowledge. Both MPAs were created through collaborative efforts by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Inuvialuit, stakeholders and the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Despite these protections, however, wildlife continue to be at risk of endangered by vessels travelling at high speeds through these areas.^{Footnote 1}

To help address increased vessel traffic in these MPAs and in response to a suggestion made by the Regional Coordinating Committee of the Beaufort Sea Partnership, the Canadian Coast Guard issues an annual Notice to Mariners (NOTMAR) detailing voluntary, vessel slowdowns and avoidance areas in important bowhead and beluga whale habitat.

The Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators distributes the NOTMAR to its Arctic members, and the Northwest Territories Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment includes the NOTMAR in its operator licensing packages.

The NOTMAR is updated annually in collaboration with Inuvialuit organizations to ensure the recommendations and zones are current and accurate. The Government of Canada also regularly solicits partner and stakeholder feedback on the NOTMAR and is working to broaden awareness by contacting other marine users based on suggestions received since its publication.

Preliminary research has shown that some vessels, particularly research vessels and cruise ships, have begun to plan their routes to avoid the boundaries of the MPAs voluntarily.

Although more monitoring is required to confirm this apparent outcome, preliminary ship tracking data suggest that vessels are compliant with the NOTMAR advice.

Ongoing scientific research and community input continue to inform and update the NOTMAR.

For example, the team at Wildlife Conservation Society Canada (WCSC) annually measures vessel conformity with the NOTMAR using seasonal Automatic Identification System data.

Small-vessel information has been opportunistically available through Inuvialuit community-based programs, such as the Enhanced Maritime Situational Awareness initiative operated by the Tuktoyaktuk Hunters and Trappers Committee.

Based on data from these various monitoring initiatives and updated bowhead tracking data, the NOTMAR was modified in 2021 to include an expansion of the whale slowdown boundaries. Figure 1 shows the new boundaries and measures.

The Eastern Arctic has also seen significant increases in vessel traffic. Between 1990 and 2015, Cambridge Bay had the third-highest increase in vessel traffic in Nunavut due to an increasing number of passenger vessels, cargo vessels, tankers and pleasure vessels traversing the Northwest Passage.^{Footnote 7}

Residents and communities expressed a need to better understand the risks and cumulative effects posed by marine shipping activities in the region.^{Footnote 7} As a pilot project under the Cumulative Effects of Marine Shipping (CEMS) initiative, the local Ekaluktutiak Hunters and Trappers Organization partnered with Transport Canada, Oceans North and the WCSC to jointly conduct a CEMS assessment.

The results of that study provided measurements of ship noise in the region and estimates of the exposure of various marine mammals to ship noise.^{Footnote 7} These data helped identify ways to improve future research efforts and guide recommendations for the management of vessel traffic.

WCSC researchers are also providing the Ekaluktutiak Hunters and Trappers Organization with training on how to construct, deploy and retrieve the acoustic recorders as well as how to analyze the data.^{Footnote 7}

The equipment records acoustic data, such as whale calls, continuously throughout the open-water season. It may then be left beneath the sea ice to detect marine-mammal vocalizations and record noise from spring icebreaking activities.

This training on the construction and use of acoustic recorders is intended to build the capacity of the Cambridge Bay community to monitor ocean noise into the future.

Ocean noise remains an ongoing and developing threat that will require:

• effective research
• increased policy attention
• ongoing co-management

The Government of Canada and its partners in the region are working through the Oceans Protection Plan on several initiatives to gather data and information on ocean noise and investigate opportunities for its mitigation and reduction.

Improved coordination of shared efforts to better protect Arctic marine life and ecosystems is needed to complement the kind of public-private partnerships that have led to the establishment of the:

• western Arctic MPAs
• NOTMAR
• CEMS and EMSA projects

Next steps will include additional research and continued partnership and consultations with northern communities on a wide range of projects to better understand the impacts of ocean noise on:

• Arctic habitats
• species biodiversity
• ecosystem functions

The successes of the NOTMAR, EMSA and CEMS have highlighted the importance of effective collaboration, coordination, communication and local adaptation of noise-related mitigation strategies by Inuit communities.

Protecting the St. Lawrence Estuary beluga and other whales from underwater noise

The St. Lawrence River is one of North America's longest, spanning about 1,200 kilometres from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, where it meets the Atlantic Ocean.^{Footnote 1} Along a 400-kilometre stretch from Quebec City to the Gulf, the river becomes increasingly salty, forming an estuary. The St. Lawrence Estuary is a distinct and dynamic ecosystem known for the diversity of its marine mammals. Migratory populations of humpback, minke, blue and fin whales, among others, use this region as a summer feeding area.^{Footnote 1} This stretch of the river is also home to its best-known residents, the St. Lawrence Estuary beluga. These whales spend their entire lives in and around the estuary and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Unfortunately, human activities, particularly those generating underwater ocean noise, have put intense pressure on these and other endangered whales.^{Footnote 2}

Beluga and other marine wildlife inhabit the St. Lawrence Estuary alongside thousands of vessels transporting goods and people to and from major Canadian ports^{Footnote 3}, including:

• cargo ships
• container vessels
• bulk carriers
• oil tankers
• pleasure craft
• whale-watching vessels
• cruise ships
• multiple ferry services that traverse the estuary daily

These activities, when combined with noise from coastal and marine construction projects, can create significant ecosystem disturbance, posing a threat to many marine species.^{Footnote 4}

With participation from multiple departments and agencies, the Government of Canada is collaborating with Indigenous peoples, the Government of Quebec, shipping partners, universities and environmental organizations to implement management measures and use technology advancements to help prevent or mitigate the impacts of ocean noise. While many initiatives focus on belugas, others seek to understand how ocean noise associated with vessel traffic impacts all species of marine life.

The Working Group on Marine Traffic and Protection of Marine Mammals (G2T3M) includes representatives from:

• provincial and federal governments
• shipping industry
• environmental organizations
• universities

Co-chaired by Parks Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the group aims to reduce collision risks, shipping disturbances and ocean noise impacts on all whale species. The working group collaborated with the Canadian Coast Guard to develop a Notice to Mariners (NOTMAR), a publication providing safety information and procedures for vessels navigating Canadian waters. In the St. Lawrence Estuary, working group recommendations are incorporated into the NOTMAR as voluntary protection measures, with the aim of reducing collision risks and minimizing the impact of noise. Recent data on group recommendations, such as voluntary speed-reductions at the head of the Laurentian Channel and vessel routing north of Île Rouge to protect important beluga habitat, reveal strong support and participation from the shipping industry.

Underwater sound-detecting microphones, called hydrophones, play a vital role in understanding the underwater acoustic environment. The Marine Acoustic Research Station initiative, for example, has 4 hydrophone arrays positioned in a busy shipping area off the coast of Rimouski. The Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER) and Innovation Maritime (IMAR) use the hydrophones in this listening station to measure the noise generated by different vessel types under various operating conditions. This research is done to better understand the effectiveness of technological innovations and operational practices in reducing underwater vessel noise. Under the Oceans Protection Plan, 10 fixed hydrophone stations, a drifting acoustic recording buoy, aerial surveys and acoustic tags placed on belugas were used over 5 years to map marine acoustic quality and reactions to noise.

Other advances in technology, including acoustic modelling and computer simulations, offer insights into the locations of marine mammals and ocean noise in the estuary. One such project used a simulator to estimate beluga and other whale movements, as well as boat traffic and its associated noise in the estuary and the Saguenay Fjord. The Ocean Soundscape Atlas features a user-friendly interface showing vessel and environmental noise levels throughout the year. These and other projects yield vital data for implementing targeted mitigation measures like zoning or speed reduction areas for boat traffic, benefiting all marine animals in this bustling estuary.

In addition to the impacts of ocean noise, the St. Lawrence Estuary beluga and other whales in the St. Lawrence face threats posed by contaminants, vessel traffic and ship strikes, as well as the general industrialization of the St. Lawrence watershed, which has degraded their habitat. Listed as endangered under the Species at Risk Act (SARA), DFO developed a recovery strategy for the St. Lawrence Estuary Beluga. This recovery strategy establishes objectives for beluga population and distribution and also identities critical habitat to support their survival and recovery. To address the threat of ocean noise, DFO completed an action plan under SARA to mitigate noise impact on the beluga and other at-risk marine mammals in the estuary. This action plan includes 32 measures aimed at:

• identifying and understanding sources of ocean noise
• evaluating and implementing noise-reduction strategies
• increasing awareness among users of the Saguenay and St. Lawrence waterways

While the challenges confronting the beluga whales are substantial, especially given their small population and high exposure to vessel noise, there is hope for their recovery. However, effectively managing and mitigating the threats from ocean noise will require the collective efforts of governments, stakeholders and marine users, with the support of all Canadians. Meanwhile, ocean noise will persist as a focus of study for numerous scientists and remain a top priority for the Government of Canada and the G2T3M working group.

Working together to manage ocean noise in the Gully Marine Protected Area

Located about 200 kilometres off the coast of Nova Scotia, the Gully was the first Marine Protected Area (MPA) established in Atlantic Canada under the Oceans Act.^{Footnote 1} Named after its impressive deep-water canyon, the Gully has unique topographic and oceanographic features that provide habitat for many species of seabirds, deep-water fishes and cold-water corals.^{Footnote 2} It is an area frequented by cetaceans.^{Footnote 3} Designated in 2004, the Gully MPA is part of the critical habitat for the endangered Scotian Shelf population of northern bottlenose whales.^{Footnote 4} It is also an important foraging area for 15 other species of whales and dolphins, including endangered blue whales.^{Footnote 5}

The Gully has become a focal point for human-generated underwater ocean noise research, management and monitoring on Canada's east coast. Ocean noise on the Scotian Shelf comes from a variety of sources,^{Footnote 1} including:

• vessel traffic, for example:
  • commercial shipping
  • fishing
  • research activities
  • tourism
• oil and gas exploration and development, for example:
  • seismic airgun surveys
  • drilling
• military activities

Ocean noise has great impacts on the diversity and abundance of wildlife that use the area.

To manage and mitigate the impacts of ocean noise and achieve one of the Gully's conservation priorities of protecting whales and dolphins from the impacts of human activities, marine managers collaborate with:

• government departments
• universities
• industries
• non-governmental organizations

This includes a variety of initiatives to conduct research and monitoring, manage human activities, and coordinate and engage with partners and stakeholders.^{Footnote 1}

Research

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Maritime Region's Cetacean Research and Monitoring Program, with contributions from the cetacean research program of the Whitehead Lab at Dalhousie University, has collected passive acoustic monitoring data for more than 10 years. This research contributes to the understanding of the year-round presence and vocalization of whales and dolphins in deep waters.^{Footnote 6},^{Footnote 7} It allows for the monitoring of ocean noise and its impact on the Gully's wildlife.^{Footnote 8},^{Footnote 9}

The acoustic research efforts coupled with information from extensive visual surveys, including photo-identification studies, have improved our understanding of how marine mammals use the area.^{Footnote 10} This research also provides scientific evidence to support the MPA's management.^{Footnote 1},^{Footnote 11} For example, researchers found an increased presence of Sowerby's beaked whales in the Gully since the designation of the MPA. It is hypothesized that this increase could be due to a reduction of noise in the MPA and nearby areas.^{Footnote 11}

Management

DFO collaborates with the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board (CNSOPB) to ensure that no oil and gas activities occur inside the MPA's boundaries. Activities outside of the MPA are assessed for their potential impacts on the Gully ecosystem before they are authorized to proceed.^{Footnote 12}

Using the Statement of Canadian Practice with respect to the Mitigation of Seismic Sound in the Marine Environment as a guide, DFO and the CNSOPB co-developed a draft set of enhanced mitigation measures to minimize acoustic disturbance from seismic surveys in and around the Gully MPA.

The potential impacts of transboundary stressors, including noise produced by industrial activity, were addressed in the Gully MPA Regulations with a vicinity clause. The clause prohibits adjacent activities that are likely to cause disturbance inside the MPA. Effects monitoring programs have demonstrated compliance with the clause by using hydrophones to measure seismic survey sounds reaching the MPA boundary.^{Footnote 1},^{Footnote 13}

To facilitate dialogue and implementation of the Gully's Management Plan (PDF, 4,900 KB), DFO established the Gully Advisory Committee. To provide cross-sectoral advice to support the MPA's management, this committee consists of individuals from:

• federal and provincial governments
• industry
• non-governmental organizations
• Indigenous partners

The Advisory Committee is also engaged while reviewing activity plans for proposed activities occurring in the MPA, including research expeditions that use active acoustics.

Coordination and engagement

The annual Notice to Mariners (PDF, 5,100 KB) issued by the Canadian Coast Guard asks vessel operators to voluntarily avoid the MPA or:

• reduce vessel speed to less than 10 knots
• keep watch for marine mammals
• follow specific operating procedures if marine mammals are sighted

These procedures all help to minimize the vessel noise impact on marine mammals.^{Footnote 1}

Activities in the Gully, including tourism or scientific expeditions, are scheduled to avoid overlaps to minimize vessel traffic in the MPA and encourage collaboration between the tourism industry and researchers.

Coordination of vessel-traffic monitoring and enforcement activities in the Gully are carried out by:

• Transport Canada
• Canadian Coast Guard
• Royal Canadian Navy
• DFO

Universities, tourism operators, non-governmental organizations and government departments work together to conduct research, education and outreach activities relating to the MPA.

While the Gully MPA has experienced successes, there are ongoing challenges associated with managing ocean noise. A multitude of factors, including biological, ecological and environmental conditions, influence how marine life is impacted by ocean noise. These relationships are not yet well understood. As a result, it is difficult to set parameters for activities that take place in and around the Gully to reduce the impact of noise on different organisms that inhabit the Gully.^{Footnote 1}

A variety of management options can be used to manage noise-producing activities outside the MPA, but it is difficult to determine clear geographical boundaries as the impacts of noise vary depending on the:

• activity
• species of concern
• oceanographic conditions

This complexity also leads to challenges in measuring the success of ocean noise management and conservation efforts in the Gully.

Addressing these challenges requires sustained cross-sectoral efforts. Additional research will help to better understand the impacts of different noise sources in and around the MPA. Examples of innovative technologies that can be used in different ways to investigate the impacts of noise on marine mammals include:

• aerial- and vessel-based sightings
• remote surveillance tools
• noise modelling

Knowledge gained through these combined efforts will be essential in working towards the development of regulatory tools to manage different human activities.

Finally, ongoing coordination, outreach and communication will help Canadians better understand the impact of ocean noise. This effort will allow for a more coordinated exchange of MPA management best practices, which may also result in a quieter underwater environment for marine wildlife.

Using new technology to listen for whales in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador

Located on the southeast coast of the island of Newfoundland, Placentia Bay is an ecologically and economically significant marine area. The bay is home to eelgrass, coral and sponge habitats that support commercial fish species and seabirds, and provide food for species at risk, including the leatherback sea turtle, North Atlantic right whale and Northwest Atlantic blue whale. Economically, Placentia Bay supports a thriving marine economy ^{Footnote 1},^{Footnote 2} that includes:

• petroleum transshipment
• ferry and other commercial transportation
• commercial fishing
• aquaculture
• tourism

In addition to its close proximity to international shipping routes south of the island, the bay is also adjacent to an active offshore petroleum exploration and development industry where multiple seismic surveys have been conducted in the last 5 years.^{Footnote 3} The growth of this marine economy is accompanied by an increase in human-generated underwater ocean noise with its potential impacts on marine species.

The intersection of ecology and economics in Placentia Bay makes it a valuable testing ground for innovative technology used for monitoring, modelling and managing the impacts of ocean noise on marine species.

There is a long history and ongoing underwater acoustic data collection on the south coast:

• Since 2003, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) began systematic and opportunistic visual reporting of cetaceans and sea turtles.
• Since 2009, marine mammal experts from DFO started collecting underwater acoustic data using autonomous acoustic recorders (underwater microphones), focusing on identifying and describing natural and human-generated noise sources and marine-mammal presence based on their vocalization patterns.
• Since 2016, DFO, with funding from the Oceans Protection Plan (OPP), has expanded programs for collecting long-term acoustic data and conducting seasonal boat-based visual marine habitat surveys.

OPP funding has enabled DFO to expand its underwater sound research and monitoring capacities and applications to acoustic projects in Placentia Bay. The autonomous underwater acoustic recorders in Placentia Bay have detected vocalizations from various whale species, including:

• Blue whale
• Fin whale
• Humpback whale
• Killer whale
• Minke whale
• North Atlantic right whale
• Sei whale
• Sperm whale

Complemented by oceanographic and habitat baseline data, these data and surveys are used to study and monitor ocean noise and its potential impact on marine mammals.

In addition to monitoring and field research on ocean noise, OPP also funded a multi-year project between DFO and Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) to develop soundscape and marine mammal risk modelling in Placentia Bay. The modelling helps researchers better understand how ocean noise contributes to the acoustic environment and how this might change over time and space. This comprehensive project helps to identify and predict the risks and impacts of ocean noise on marine mammals.

Projects done by DFO in collaboration with MUN, and Marine Institute have also provided valuable data on marine-mammal acoustics, vocalizations and habitat use in the bay.

Placentia Bay was identified as one of 6 assessment areas under Transport Canada's Cumulative Effects of Marine Shipping (CEMS) initiative, which was launched in 2017 and funded through the OPP.^{Footnote 4} Ongoing work for this project in Placentia Bay includes engagement with coastal communities and a range of different stakeholders to identify regional priority valued components and marine shipping stressors.^{Footnote 5},^{Footnote 6} Vessel-generated underwater noise is included in the scope of assessment. The results of the ongoing CEMS assessment will be used to develop recommendations for regional mitigation measures and management strategies.

Despite the complex nature of ocean noise research and management, the acoustic research and monitoring innovation projects of Placentia Bay demonstrate strong collaboration and coordination of efforts to develop effective ocean-management measures:

• The acoustic and marine-mammal monitoring work in Placentia Bay has helped build state-of-the-art technology to reduce the impacts of marine shipping by providing vessel operators with information on the predicted presence of marine mammals.
• The pop-up acoustic monitoring system will be further tested in other locations, including in deep and ice-covered waters, which will provide new information on ocean noise and species present in these areas that are not currently being monitored.
• Long-term marine-mammal acoustic monitoring and habitat-use surveys will contribute to the development of soundscape and habitat-use models; these models will support risk assessments of noise disturbance to marine mammals and determine if mitigation or management measures would reduce these risks.
• The integration of DFO's marine mammal acoustic and visual monitoring with soundscape analysis will be an invaluable tool to assess the potential impacts of ocean noise.

The integration of science and technology, with input from the industry, local and Indigenous communities, other governmental partners and stakeholders, will inform decisions on ocean noise management and mitigation for marine mammal protection within Placentia Bay. These efforts will help manage ocean noise generated by commercial activities in Placentia Bay so that the development of the marine economy does not compromise the rich biodiversity of the area and the health of its marine species.