Developing an acoustic method for reducing North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) ship strike mortality along the United States eastern seaboard
North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis ) are among the world's most endangered cetaceans. Although protected from commercial whaling since 1949, North Atlantic right whales exhibit little to no population growth. Ship strike mortality is the leading known cause of North Atlantic right...
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ftproquest:oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:3579451 2023-05-15T16:08:18+02:00 Developing an acoustic method for reducing North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) ship strike mortality along the United States eastern seaboard Mullen, Kaitlyn Allen 2013-01-01 00:00:01.0 http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3579451 ENG eng The University of Maine http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3579451 Wildlife Conservation|Ocean engineering|Acoustics thesis 2013 ftproquest 2021-03-13T17:43:50Z North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis ) are among the world's most endangered cetaceans. Although protected from commercial whaling since 1949, North Atlantic right whales exhibit little to no population growth. Ship strike mortality is the leading known cause of North Atlantic right whale mortality. North Atlantic right whales exhibit developed auditory systems, and vocalize in the frequency range that dominates ship acoustic signatures. With no behavioral audiogram published, current literature assumes these whales should be able to acoustically detect signals in the same frequencies they vocalize. Recorded ship acoustic signatures occur at intensities that are similar or higher to those recorded by vocalizing North Atlantic right whales. If North Atlantic right whales are capable of acoustically detecting oncoming ship, why are they susceptible to ship strike mortality? This thesis models potential acoustic impediments to North Atlantic right whale detection of oncoming ships, and concludes the presence of modeled and observed bow null effect acoustic shadow zones, located directly ahead of oncoming ships, are likely to impair the ability of North Atlantic right whales to detect and/or localize oncoming shipping traffic. This lack of detection and/or localization likely leads to a lack of ship strike avoidance, and thus contributes to the observed high rates of North Atlantic right whale ship strike mortality. I propose that North Atlantic right whale ship strike mortality reduction is possible via reducing and/or eliminating the presence of bow null effect acoustic shadow zones. This thesis develops and tests one method for bow null effect acoustic shadow zone reduction on five ships. Finally, I review current United States policy towards North Atlantic right whale ship strike mortality in an effort to determine if the bow null effect acoustic shadow zone reduction method developed is a viable method for reducing North Atlantic right whale ship strike mortality within United States waters. I recommend that future work include additional prototype modifications and testing, application for a marine mammal scientific take authorization permit to test the modified prototype on multiple mysticete species, and continued interfacing of the prototype with evolving United States North Atlantic right whale ship strike reduction policies. Thesis Eubalaena glacialis North Atlantic North Atlantic right whale PQDT Open: Open Access Dissertations and Theses (ProQuest) |
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Open Polar |
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PQDT Open: Open Access Dissertations and Theses (ProQuest) |
op_collection_id |
ftproquest |
language |
English |
topic |
Wildlife Conservation|Ocean engineering|Acoustics |
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Wildlife Conservation|Ocean engineering|Acoustics Mullen, Kaitlyn Allen Developing an acoustic method for reducing North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) ship strike mortality along the United States eastern seaboard |
topic_facet |
Wildlife Conservation|Ocean engineering|Acoustics |
description |
North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis ) are among the world's most endangered cetaceans. Although protected from commercial whaling since 1949, North Atlantic right whales exhibit little to no population growth. Ship strike mortality is the leading known cause of North Atlantic right whale mortality. North Atlantic right whales exhibit developed auditory systems, and vocalize in the frequency range that dominates ship acoustic signatures. With no behavioral audiogram published, current literature assumes these whales should be able to acoustically detect signals in the same frequencies they vocalize. Recorded ship acoustic signatures occur at intensities that are similar or higher to those recorded by vocalizing North Atlantic right whales. If North Atlantic right whales are capable of acoustically detecting oncoming ship, why are they susceptible to ship strike mortality? This thesis models potential acoustic impediments to North Atlantic right whale detection of oncoming ships, and concludes the presence of modeled and observed bow null effect acoustic shadow zones, located directly ahead of oncoming ships, are likely to impair the ability of North Atlantic right whales to detect and/or localize oncoming shipping traffic. This lack of detection and/or localization likely leads to a lack of ship strike avoidance, and thus contributes to the observed high rates of North Atlantic right whale ship strike mortality. I propose that North Atlantic right whale ship strike mortality reduction is possible via reducing and/or eliminating the presence of bow null effect acoustic shadow zones. This thesis develops and tests one method for bow null effect acoustic shadow zone reduction on five ships. Finally, I review current United States policy towards North Atlantic right whale ship strike mortality in an effort to determine if the bow null effect acoustic shadow zone reduction method developed is a viable method for reducing North Atlantic right whale ship strike mortality within United States waters. I recommend that future work include additional prototype modifications and testing, application for a marine mammal scientific take authorization permit to test the modified prototype on multiple mysticete species, and continued interfacing of the prototype with evolving United States North Atlantic right whale ship strike reduction policies. |
format |
Thesis |
author |
Mullen, Kaitlyn Allen |
author_facet |
Mullen, Kaitlyn Allen |
author_sort |
Mullen, Kaitlyn Allen |
title |
Developing an acoustic method for reducing North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) ship strike mortality along the United States eastern seaboard |
title_short |
Developing an acoustic method for reducing North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) ship strike mortality along the United States eastern seaboard |
title_full |
Developing an acoustic method for reducing North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) ship strike mortality along the United States eastern seaboard |
title_fullStr |
Developing an acoustic method for reducing North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) ship strike mortality along the United States eastern seaboard |
title_full_unstemmed |
Developing an acoustic method for reducing North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) ship strike mortality along the United States eastern seaboard |
title_sort |
developing an acoustic method for reducing north atlantic right whale (eubalaena glacialis) ship strike mortality along the united states eastern seaboard |
publisher |
The University of Maine |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3579451 |
genre |
Eubalaena glacialis North Atlantic North Atlantic right whale |
genre_facet |
Eubalaena glacialis North Atlantic North Atlantic right whale |
op_relation |
http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3579451 |
_version_ |
1766404355280338944 |