Three-dimensional movements of harbour seals in a tidally energetic channel : application of a novel sonar tracking system

• Published in: Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
• Main Authors: Hastie, Gordon D., Bivins, Matt, Coram, Alex, Gordon, Jonathan, Jepp, Pauline, MacAulay, Jamie, Sparling, Carol, Gillespie, Douglas
• Other Authors: NERC, University of St Andrews. Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews. School of Biology, University of St Andrews. Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews. Marine Alliance for Science & Technology Scotland, University of St Andrews. Bioacoustics group, University of St Andrews. Sound Tags Group
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Behaviour; Environmental impact assessment; Mammals; New techniques; Renewable energy; QH301 Biology; NDAS; NERC; SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy; SDG 14 - Life Below Water; QH301; Phoca vitulina
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10023/19666; https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3017

The work was funded by the Scottish Government Demonstration Strategy (Project no. USA/010/14) and by the UK's Natural Environment Research Council and Department of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (RESPONSE project, NE/J004251/1). This work was also supported by National Capability funding from the Natural Environment Research Council to the Sea Mammal Research Unit (grant no. SMRU1001). 1. Understanding how marine predators utilize habitats requires that we consider their behaviour in three dimensions. Recent research has shown that marine mammals often make use of tidally energetic locations for foraging, yet data are generally limited to observations of animals at the water surface. Such areas are also of interest to the renewable energy industry for the deployment of tidal-stream energy turbines; this has led to concerns about potential impacts on marine mammals. 2. Methods for measuring animal movements underwater are limited; however, active sonar can image marine mammals and could potentially measure 3D movements in tidally energetic locations. Here, a dual 720 kHz sonar system was developed to investigate the 3D movements of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in a tidally-energetic channel. 3. Estimated mean depth (distance from the surface) of seals was 12.0 m (95% CIs = 11.6–12.4), and the majority of time was spent at the surface and at approximately 10–12 m distance from the surface. When expressed as distances from the sea bed, mean distance was 18.5 m (95% CIs = 18.0–18.9), and the majority of time was spent at 14 m from the sea bed. 4. Seal movements were generally in the same direction as the tidal flow with mean horizontal speeds of between 0.51 and 3.13 m s−1 (95% CIs = 1.24–1.54 m s−1). Mean vertical velocities (where negative and positive values represent a descent and ascent respectively) for each seal track ranged between −1.76 and +0.88 m s−1 (95% CIs: −0.23 to +0.03 m s−1). 5. These results provide a basis for understanding how seals utilize a dynamic tidal environment and suggest ...