Physical and acoustic disturbance (includes vessel collisions and marine noise)
Physical and acoustic disturbance (includes vessel collisions and marine noise)
Location
- Pacific Ocean waters from the US border in the north (Alaska) to the US border to the south (Washington) – The threat of physical and acoustic disturbance to marine species at risk from human activities, including shipping, marine transportation and recreational activities, occurs throughout the Pacific Ocean, although may be most associated with areas of higher industrial activity and commercial and recreational vessel traffic
- Atlantic Ocean, including the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Estuary – The threat of physical and acoustic disturbance to marine species at risk occurs throughout the Atlantic Ocean, although may be most associated with areas of higher industrial activity and commercial and recreational traffic
- The Canadian Arctic Ocean, including the southern Beaufort Sea and the Baffin Bay, Davis Strait, Hudson Strait and northern Hudson Bay, including Foxe Basin – The threat of physical and acoustic disturbance to marine species at risk from increased shipping and tourism activity occurs throughout the Arctic where aquatic species a risk are found. The greatest threat of acoustic disturbance exists in Davis Strait and Baffin Bay where the majority of commercial shipping activities take place (e.g., commercial fishing, tourism, transportation)
Key threats
- Physical and acoustic disturbance includes disturbance from underwater noise generated by commercial and recreational vessels and industrial activities (e.g. dredging, drilling and construction) as well as from vessel presence
- The displacement of marine mammals due to physical and acoustic disturbance can affect both the health of the individuals and the population. For example, many marine mammals use specific foraging areas, haul-outs, rubbing beaches or calving areas and can be displaced due to repeated disturbance by both noise and wave generation from large ships
- The means by which physical and acoustic disturbance can affect aquatic species at risk at both the individual and population level are not well understood but may depend on whether the disturbance is chronic (such as commercial and recreational vessel traffic, including whale watching vessels) or acute/immediate (such as vessel strikes)
Aquatic SARA Schedule 1-listed species at risk affected by this threat
| Priority Places and Marine Threats | Species, Population | SARA status |
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Examples of recovery activities that DFO is seeking to support to address this threat
Physical and acoustic disturbance (Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean)
- Development, refinement and/or implementation and evaluation of technologies, best practices or tools to prevent, mitigate or monitor impacts of physical and/or acoustic disturbances on aquatic species at risk for which physical and/or acoustic disturbances have been identified as a primary threat
- Education for industry and other ocean users on the impacts of physical and acoustic disturbance on aquatic species at risk with a focus on vessel strikes and vessel presence, and methods to avoid and/or mitigate impacts
- Research to address knowledge gaps and better understand how physical and/or acoustic disturbances affect aquatic species at risk for which physical and/or acoustic disturbances have been identified as a primary threat
- Monitoring of areas where aquatic species at risk may be affected by physical and/or acoustic disturbance. For example, increasing near real-time acoustic monitoring (passive or active)
- The development, refinement, and/or implementation, and evaluation of tools and/or practices to disseminate information in near real-time to industry and ocean users or operators about aquatic species at risk presence in near real-time and/or potential interactions with aquatic species at risk
- Development, refinement, testing and/or implementation and evaluation of technologies for detecting the presence/location of aquatic species at risk for which physical and/or acoustic disturbances have been identified as a primary threat
Learn more about projects to address this threat
Special marine areas in Newfoundland and Labrador interactive online platform
Special marine areas in Newfoundland and Labrador interactive online platform
Recipient: Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – Newfoundland and Labrador Chapter (CPAWS-NL)
Project goal: This three-year project is building upon two editions of the “Special Marine Areas in Newfoundland and Labrador” guide produced by CPAWS-NL. Using this guide's wealth of knowledge, outside sources, a workshop, and on-going research, CPAWS-NL is creating a “Special Marine Areas in Newfoundland and Labrador Interactive Online Map” (SMA Interactive Map). The SMA Interactive Map highlights the eco-regions of the province (as well as the 140 special areas highlighted within the guide), each region's species (with an emphasis on species at risk), threats (focusing on fishery interactions, physical and acoustic disturbances, and shipping), protections currently in place, climate change threats (e.g. sea level rise) and other features that helps to create an overall picture of the ecosystem.
The SMA Interactive Map aims to become an effective user-friendly outreach, educational and decision-making tool for an array of users including: (1) National, Provincial and Municipal Governments; (2) academia and researchers; (3) ocean industries; and (4) the general public. Additionally, this map aims to be a useful tool to those organizations carrying out Marine Spatial Planning initiatives for Newfoundland and Labrador and will create an opportunity for outreach and education for all users.
Fund Allocation: $219,920
Time Frame: 3 years
Species that benefit from this project:
- North Atlantic Right Whale
- Leatherback Sea Turtle
- Northern Wolffish
- Spotted Wolffish
- Acadian Redfish
- Fin Whale
- Winter Skate
- Humpback Whale
- Loggerhead Sea Turtle
- White Shark
- Harbour Porpoise
- American Eel
- American Plaice
- Atlantic Cod
- Atlantic Wolffish
- Basking Shark
- Blue Whale
- Roundnose Grenadier
- Porbeagle Shark
- Killer Whale
- Northern Bottlenose Whale
- Smooth Skate
Use of an infrared-camera system to detect marine mammal species at risk near an airgun array
Use of an infrared-camera system to detect marine mammal species at risk near an airgun array
Recipient: Upun-LGL Limited
Project goal: This three-year project is contributing to the recovery of marine mammal species at risk by assisting with the development, deployment and testing of a commercially-viable, vessel-based infrared (VB-IR) camera system that can be used aboard seismic vessels offshore Newfoundland and Labrador (and elsewhere) to improve current efforts to detect marine mammals. Increased detection capabilities, particularly at night, will assist with mitigation measures designed to minimize potential auditory effects from airgun sound on marine mammals. The VB-IR camera system also has potential for use on other commercial vessels (i.e., cargo, tanker and ferry) to detect large whales and minimize the risk of ship strikes.
Upun-LGL Limited is collaborating with the Nunatsiavut Government on this applied research project. Parties will work together through technical training, data analyses, reporting, and public dissemination of the findings.
Fund Allocation: $307,500
Time Frame: 3 years
Species that benefit from this project:
- North Atlantic Right Whale
- Blue Whale
- Northern Bottlenose Whale
- Sowerby's Beaked Whale
- Fin Whale
- Sei Whale
- Killer Whale
- Humpback Whale
- Minke Whale
- Sperm Whale
- Cuvier's Beaked Whale
Media announcement:
Government of Canada introduces new, additional measures to protect the North Atlantic right whale
Sentier Béluga: a network of "connected" land-based observation sites to replace at-sea observation
Sentier Béluga: a network of "connected" land-based observation sites to replace at-sea observation
Recipient: Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM)
Project objective: The goal of this four-year project is to reduce physical and acoustic disturbances to marine mammals at risk by developing an innovative solution to replace at-sea observation and by supporting monitoring efforts and long-term research.
This project will mobilize a number of stakeholders involved in conservation, education and research to gain a better understanding of marine mammal behaviour and reduce disturbances caused by recreational boaters. These groups will work together to increase awareness of the situation of whales in order to provide better protection for them in the marine park and throughout their range.
Fund Allocation: $1,362,050
Time Frame: 4 years
Species that benefit from this project:
Pikialasorsuaq implementation – planning for community capacity and inuit-led monitoring of species at risk
Pikialasorsuaq implementation – planning for community capacity and inuit-led monitoring of species at risk
Recipient: Inuit Circumpolar Council (Canada) Inc.
Project goal: This one-year project involves facilitating discussions between Inuit leadership to develop a management plan on the future use and conservation of the Pikialasorsuaq area. This project aims to undertake the initial planning and partnership development to best position another Inuit organization to undertake future projects with communities in the Pikialasorsuaq and develop a plan for species at risk that is embedded in a larger overall management plan and work to enhance monitoring.
Fund Allocation: $11,500
Time Frame: 1 years
Species that benefit from this project:
Assessing and managing acoustic disturbance to bowhead whales
Assessing and managing acoustic disturbance to bowhead whales
Recipient: Wildlife Conservation Society Canada
Project goal: This four-year project has three main objectives including to (1) determine the summer distribution of the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort (BCB) population of Bowhead Whales and to measure their exposure to underwater noise; (2) assess how Bowheads react to underwater noise from ships; and (3) to develop model management strategies to reduce underwater noise in key BCB and Eastern Canada-West Greenland (ECWG) population Bowhead areas with recommendations.
Acoustic monitoring is helping to update and clarify the spatial and temporal distribution of the populations, which will help wildlife managers and co-management boards when making decisions about human activities that will disturb bowhead whales. Acoustic monitoring is providing the first estimate of underwater noise from ships in key Bowhead areas in the western Canadian Arctic, as well as estimates of background noise levels. The assessment of Bowhead behaviour in response to ships and ship noise is providing valuable information, such as estimates of increased energy expenditure when the whales encounter ships.
Finally, acoustic modeling of various management and mitigation scenarios is providing wildlife managers and co-management boards with information on how to minimize the amount of underwater noise to which Bowhead Whales are exposed.
Fund Allocation: $1,048,491
Time Frame: 4 years
Species that benefit from this project:
The Sydney Inlet acoustic refugium monitoring
The Sydney Inlet acoustic refugium monitoring
Recipient: Clayoquot Biosphere Trust
Project goal: This four-year project increases awareness of both natural sounds and human made noise and their intersection with important feeding habitats for at risk marine mammals. To do this, the project is carrying out research to understand the ecological significance of ‘quiet' places that are rich in natural sounds and have very little human noise disturbance (anthrophony).
This project consists of gathering baseline bioacoustic data for the identification of patterns of human noise disturbance and the development of the first set of habitat soundscape signatures for at-risk marine mammals in the waters of Clayoquot Sound, British Columbia. Recommendations will be developed that are intended to guide (1) the reduction of human noise disturbance in marine habitats and (2) evaluate the effectiveness of an acoustic refugium (sanctuary) in Sydney Inlet, a known feeding area for several species of at risk marine mammals, and develop management recommendations for Fisheries and Oceans Canada, community partners, and marine industry stakeholders in the region.
Marine soundscape knowledge, developed from the bioacoustics data is being promoted, shared and exchanged throughout the community of marine-use sectors within the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve region. A learning network is also being promoted, with a focus on the reduction of acoustic disruption from human activities in at-risk marine mammal feeding habitats.
Fund Allocation: $388,052
Time Frame: 4 years
Species that benefit from this project:
Ships, Whales & Acoustics in Gitga'at Traditional Territory (SWAG)
Ships, Whales & Acoustics in Gitga'at Traditional Territory (SWAG)
Recipient: World Wildlife Fund Canada
Project goal: This four-year project is a collaboration between the Gitga'at First Nation, the North Coast Cetacean Society (NCCS) and the World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF-Canada) to advance research on whale/vessel interactions. This project aims to develop real-time tracking tools for whales and ships and collaboratively develop mitigation measures to reduce the impact of commercial shipping (e.g. noise and vessel strikes) on four populations of at-risk whale species in one of the region's most important whale areas, the Squally Channel-Lewis Passage in Gitga'at traditional territory on the north coast of British Columbia.
To meet this objective, this project is: (1) monitoring ambient and shipping noise levels; (2) developing a real-time acoustic whale detection and a marine vessel tracking tool; (3) updating distribution and habitat use maps for each species and combining these with observations of whale behavioural response to vessels to better understand risk of current and future vessel traffic; (4) undertaking outreach to the industry and local community on whales and interactions with shipping; and (5) collaboratively developing and testing mitigation measures to reduce strike risk and/or noise impacts.
The project will engage the Gitga'at community and the shipping industry to collaboratively develop tools and implement mitigation measures to reduce risks of ship strikes and acoustic disturbance to at-risk populations of whales in the project area. The project will also build local capacity to continue to monitor and manage future impacts to these whales and form collaborations that will benefit the recovery of these species.
Fund Allocation: $1,362,938
Time Frame: 4 years
Species that benefit from this project:
A BC-Wide hydrophone network for cetacean habitat monitoring and stewardship
A BC-Wide hydrophone network for cetacean habitat monitoring and stewardship
Recipient: North Coast Cetacean Society
Project goal: This four-year project supports a collaboration between organizations that operate hydrophones (i.e. underwater microphones) and research labs on the Central and South Coast of British Columbia.
“The Network” that this project establishes aims to enable organizations with expertise in whale research to build, maintain and contribute to a shared, coast-wide information system. This creates the ability to collect acoustic and visual data on marine mammal activity using consistent standards and protocols via professionally maintained and calibrated equipment. High quality, comparable datasets are currently being gathered and archived by all Network members using one server to preserve long-term integrity and make it searchable and available for research, management, stewardship and educational purposes. This acoustic database will allow researchers to compare impacts of vessel traffic on at risk marine mammals in areas that differ environmentally and acoustically, and assess how the ocean soundscape is changing over time.
As we gain a greater understanding of the impacts of underwater anthropogenic noise on marine life, this hydrophone network will shape and serve society's ecological goals of protecting the marine environment with an emphasis on species at risk.
Fund Allocation: $1,800,000
Time Frame: 4 years
Species that benefit from this project:
Building on 30 years of conservation-based research to mitigate threats to at-risk marine mammal populations
Building on 30 years of conservation-based research to mitigate threats to at-risk marine mammal populations
Recipient: Ocean Wise Conservation Association
Project goal: This four-year project is addressing two priority marine threats to aquatic species at risk in the coastal waters of British Columbia: physical and acoustic disturbance and fishing interactions. To do this, the project will first improve the WhaleReport Alert System, which is a tool that shares real-time whale sightings with commercial vessels to prompt them to minimize disturbance to nearby whales. This system is being expanded further north along the BC coast to increase the number of sightings-reports in the waters surrounding Haida Gwaii. This project aims to reduce the risk of acoustic disturbance and ship strikes for marine mammals and reptiles.
Additionally, this project is working understand the impacts of fisheries on the Resident Killer Whales' declining food supply through the expansion of drone-based aerial photogrammetry studies from Vancouver Island's northeastern coast to pods that use more northerly waters along BC's Central Coast from Johnstone Strait to Northern Haida Gwaii. The expansion of these studies aims to bridge the knowledge gaps related to the impacts of fisheries on the nutritional status and health of Killer Whales and can be used to inform management decisions for Chinook Salmon, the primary food source of the Southern Resident Killer Whale.
Fund Allocation: $440,000
Time Frame: 4 years
Species that benefit from this project:
- Northern Resident Killer Whale
- Southern Resident Killer Whale
- Transient Killer Whale
- Offshore Killer Whale
- Humpback Whale (North Pacific population)
- Blue Whale (Pacific population)
- Fin Whale (Pacific population)
- Sei Whale (Pacific population)
- Grey Whale (Eastern North Pacific population)
- Harbour Porpoise (Pacific Ocean population)
- Leatherback Sea Turtle (Canadian Pacific population)
- Chinook Salmon
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