Fine-scale Focal DTAG Behavioral Study in the Gulf of Maine

• Main Author: Bocconcelli, Alessandro
• Other Authors: WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION MA
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: Biological Oceanography; Physical and Dynamic Oceanography; Acoustic Detection and Detectors; Acoustics; *WHALES; *ACOUSTIC TRACKING; *CETACEA; ACOUSTIC DETECTORS; MAINE GULF; MASSACHUSETTS BAY; AQUATIC ANIMALS; UNDERWATER ACOUSTICS; ENDANGERED SPECIES; BALEEN WHALES; DTAG(DIGITAL TAGGING SYSTEMS); HUMPBACK WHALES; RIGHT WHALES; STELLWAGEN BANK; STELLWAGEN BANK(ATLANTIC OCEAN); CAPE COD(MASSACHUSETTS); CAPE COD BAY; AWCP(ACOUSTIC WATER COLUMN PROFILERS); AWCP SENSORS; baleen whale; baleen whales
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA541688; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA541688

The goal of this project is to provide technical support to Dr. Susan E. Parks from the Pennsylvania State University in order to obtain crucial baseline data on the normal diel activity budgets of endangered baleen whale species including time spent at the surface, residency time and rate of horizontal travel, and rates of sound production. These parameters are obtained by attaching a non intrusive digital archival tag (DTAG) to the whales. Recorded data can be used to assess both visual and passive acoustic detectability to aid in their detection to protect them from vessel collisions and harmful exposures to man-made sounds. DTAG data also provide information on normal behavior, necessary to interpret any potential disturbance responses to human activities.