[PDF] [PDF] Marine Mammal Monitoring and Mitigation Program Final Report

View - Download [PDF] Marine Mammal Monitoring and Mitigation Program Final Report

Previous PDF

Next PDF

2019 HILCORP ALASKA LOWER COOK INLET

SEISMIC SURVEY

Marine Mammal Monitoring & Mitigation Program Final Report

National Marine Fisheries Service

and

United States Fish and Wildlife Service

Fairweather Science, LLC. 2020. 2019 Hilcorp Alaska Lower Cook Inlet Seismic Survey Marine Mammal

Monitoring and Mitigation Report. Prepared for Hilcorp Alaska, LLC, 3800 Centerpoint Drive, Suite 1400,

Anchorage, Alaska 99503 Submitted to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National

Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD

20910, and; United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, #200, Anchorage, Alaska

99503. Prepared by Fairweather Science, 301 Calista Court, Anchorage, AK 99518. January 2020.

2019 HILCORP ALASKA LOWER COOK INLET SEISMIC PROJECT

NMFS & USFWS MARINE MAMMAL MONITORING & MITIGATION REPORT ii

JANUARY 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................ 8

1.0 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................ 12

2.0 LOWER COOK INLET SEISMIC SURVEY PROJECT ....................................................... 13

2.1 Project Area ...................................................................................................................... 13

2.2 3D Seismic Survey Design ............................................................................................... 13

Sound Source Verification Survey ............................................................................. 15

2.3 Description of Vessels and Activities ............................................................................... 15

2.4 Schedule of Vessel Operations ......................................................................................... 18

2.5 Description of Mitigation Aircraft and Activities ............................................................. 18

3.0 MARINE MAMMAL MONITORING AND MITIGATION PROGRAM ........................... 19

3.1 Visual Observations .......................................................................................................... 19

Vessel-based Observations ......................................................................................... 19

Aircraft-based Observations ....................................................................................... 20

Data collection ............................................................................................................ 20

Reporting Injured or Dead Marine Mammals ............................................................ 21

3.2 Mitigation Measures ......................................................................................................... 22

Clearing Protocol ........................................................................................................ 23

Ramp Up .................................................................................................................... 25

Shut Down .................................................................................................................. 25

Nighttime and Low Visibility Operations .................................................................. 26

Mitigation Vessel ....................................................................................................... 26

Community Engagement/Subsistence Mitigation ...................................................... 26

4.0 MARINE MAMMAL MITIGATION AND MONITORING ANALYSIS ............................ 27

4.1 Monitoring Effort and Environmental Conditions ............................................................ 27

4.2 Visual Observations .......................................................................................................... 27

Methods for Calculating Sightings and Sighting Rates .............................................. 28

Marine Mammal Behavior ......................................................................................... 28

Number of Exposures ................................................................................................. 28

Implemented Mitigation Measures ............................................................................. 31

5.0 RESULTS ..................................................................................................................................... 32

5.1 Effort and Environmental Conditions ............................................................................... 32

2019 HILCORP ALASKA LOWER COOK INLET SEISMIC PROJECT

NMFS & USFWS MARINE MAMMAL MONITORING & MITIGATION REPORT iii

JANUARY 2020

Total Monitoring Effort .............................................................................................. 32

Monitoring Effort by Environmental Conditions ....................................................... 38

5.2 SSV Results ...................................................................................................................... 41

5.3 Marine Mammal Visual Observations .............................................................................. 41

Vessel-based Marine Mammal Sightings ................................................................... 41

Aerial Marine Mammal Sightings .............................................................................. 51

Marine Mammal Sighting Rates ................................................................................. 55

5.4 Marine Mammal Exposures .............................................................................................. 60

5.5 Summary of Mitigation Measures .................................................................................... 62

5.6 Community Engagement/Subsistence Mitigation ............................................................. 64

6.0 DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................................... 66

6.1 Vessel discussion .............................................................................................................. 66

Source Vessel ............................................................................................................. 66

Mitigation Vessel ....................................................................................................... 67

6.2 Night time operations ........................................................................................................ 68

6.3 Aerial Survey .................................................................................................................... 68

6.4 Communications ............................................................................................................... 69

Vessel communications .............................................................................................. 69

Aerial communications............................................................................................... 70

6.5 Data Collection ................................................................................................................. 71

Vessel-based app ........................................................................................................ 71

Aircraft-based app ...................................................................................................... 72

6.6 Beluga Whale Carcass Sampling ...................................................................................... 72

6.7 Monitoring and Mitigation Zones ..................................................................................... 72

6.8 Assumed Take Calculations .............................................................................................. 73

6.9 Stakeholder Engagement Summary .................................................................................. 74

7.0 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 75

2019 HILCORP ALASKA LOWER COOK INLET SEISMIC PROJECT

NMFS & USFWS MARINE MAMMAL MONITORING & MITIGATION REPORT iv

JANUARY 2020

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. 2019 LCI Seismic Project location. ............................................................................................. 14

Figure 2. Photos of the primary LCI Seismic Project vessels (a. Polarcus , b. R/V , c.

R/V / ............................................................................................................ 17

Figure 3. Photo of aircraft (P68C) used for aerial surveys during the LCI Seismic Project. ...................... 18

Figure 4. Map showing LCI Seismic Project area and north-south vessel transects with east-west aerial

transects overlaid. ....................................................................................................................................... 24

Figure 5. Polarcus vessel tracklines. Tracks south of the Project area occurred during initial gun

testing and streamer deployment, and during equipment down. ................................................................. 35

Figure 6. R/V vessel tracklines. Tracklines outside the LCI Seismic Project area include;

SSV survey tracklines, transit to/from the Project area, and seeking shelter in inclement weather. .......... 36

Figure 7. Aerial survey transects and transit route to/from the LCI Seismic Project area. ......................... 37

Figure 8. Total vessel PSO observation effort (percent) by Beaufort sea state. ......................................... 39

Figure 9. Total vessel PSO observation effort (percent) by visibility. ........................................................ 40

Figure 10. Total vessel-based marine mammal sightings. Symbols with black borders represent dead

marine mammals. ........................................................................................................................................ 43

Figure 11. Total vessel-based marine mammal sightings by species. Unidentified animals are represented

in the species group of highest likelihood, based on PSO notes. ................................................................ 44

Figure 12. Successful sampling of a beluga whale carcass in progress on board the mitigation vessel R/V

.............................................................................................................................................. 50

Figure 13. Total marine mammal sightings from aerial surveys during the LCI Seismic Project. ............. 52

Figure 14. Total aerial marine mammal sightings by species. .................................................................... 53

Figure 15. Sighting rates for live marine mammals observed during daytime hours. Rates rounded to the

nearest hundredth. ....................................................................................................................................... 59

Figure 16. Estimated number of marine mammals per hour, for observations during daytime hours. Rates

rounded to the nearest hundredth. ............................................................................................................... 59

2019 HILCORP ALASKA LOWER COOK INLET SEISMIC PROJECT

NMFS & USFWS MARINE MAMMAL MONITORING & MITIGATION REPORT v

JANUARY 2020

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Summary of Vessel Marine Mammal Sightings, Shutdowns, Level A Exposures, and Level B

Exposures during the LCI Seismic Project. ................................................................................................ 10

Table 2. Summary of Aerial Marine Mammal Sightings During the LCI Seismic Project. ....................... 11

Table 3. LCI Seismic Project Vessel Information. ..................................................................................... 16

Table 4. 2019 Schedule of Operations during the LCI Seismic Project. .................................................... 18

Table 5. Total Allowable Level A and B Exposures for Marine Mammals during the LCI Seismic Project,

issued by NMFS and USFWS LOAs to Hilcorp Alaska............................................................................. 19

Table 6. LCI Seismic Project Monitoring and Mitigation Zones. ............................................................... 23

Table 7. Ramp Up Procedure for 1945 cui Arrays. .................................................................................... 25

Table 8. Definitions of Data Collection and Analysis Terminology........................................................... 27

Table 9. Area-based ESA-listed Marine Mammal Densities in the LCI Seismic Project Level B Zone. ... 30

Table 10. Total PSO Effort per Observation Platform. ............................................................................... 33

Table 11. Source Vessel Activity Hours During PSO Monitoring. ............................................................ 33

Table 12. Total Marine Mammal Sightings During the LCI Seismic Project. ............................................ 42

Table 13. Total Marine Mammal Sightings and Estimated Individual Counts per Vessel. ........................ 45

Table 14. Cetacean Sighting (Vessel) Initial Behaviors. ............................................................................ 46

Table 15. Pinniped Sighting (Vessel) Initial Behaviors. ............................................................................. 48

Table 16. Sea Otter Sighting (Vessel) Initial Behaviors. ............................................................................ 49

Table 17. Cetacean Sighting (Aerial) Initial Behaviors. ............................................................................. 54

Table 18. Pinniped Sighting (Aerial) Initial Behaviors. ............................................................................. 55

Table 19. Sea Otter Sighting (Aerial) Initial Behaviors. ............................................................................. 55

Table 20. Overall (Live) Marine Mammal Sighting Rates. ........................................................................ 56

Table 21. (Live) Marine Mammal Sighting Rates during Periods of Non-seismic and Seismic Activity. . 58

Table 22. Estimated Level B Exposures for ESA-Listed Marine Mammal Species. .................................. 61

Table 23. Total Level A and B Exposures for Marine Mammals Observed During the LCI Seismic

Project. ........................................................................................................................................................ 62

Table 24. Summary of Mitigation Measures Implemented for (Live) Marine Mammal Sightings. .... 64

2019 HILCORP ALASKA LOWER COOK INLET SEISMIC PROJECT

NMFS & USFWS MARINE MAMMAL MONITORING & MITIGATION REPORT vi

JANUARY 2020

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix A. NMFS and USFWS LOAs

Appendix B. Effort and Sightings Data Fields

Appendix C. Vessel Sightings Data

Appendix D. Aerial Sightings Data

Appendix E. Stranding Report Forms

Appendix F. Carcass Sampling Protocol

Appendix G. SSV Report and Agency Approval

Appendix H. Stakeholder Engagement

2019 HILCORP ALASKA LOWER COOK INLET SEISMIC PROJECT

NMFS & USFWS MARINE MAMMAL MONITORING & MITIGATION REPORT vii

JANUARY 2020

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

4MP Marine Mammal Monitoring and Mitigation Program

CIPL Cook Inlet Pipeline

CIRCAC Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council cui cubic inch dB re 1 µPa decibels referenced to one microPascal

ESA Endangered Species Act

EZ Exclusion Zone

Hilcorp Alaska Hilcorp Alaska, LLC

hr hour

ITR Incidental Take Regulations

JASCO JASCO Applied Sciences

km kilometers

LOA Letter of Authorization

Lpk peak level

m meter min minute

MMPA Marine Mammal Protection Act

NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service

NMML National Marine Mammal Laboratory

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NVDs Night Vision Devices

OCS Outer Continental Shelf

OSV offshore supply vessel

psi pounds per square inch

PSO Protected Species Observer

PTS Permanent Threshold Shift

Q105 R/V Qualifier 105

QAQC Quality analysis and quality control

rms root mean square s seconds

SEL sound exposure level

SOP Standard Operating Procedures

SPL sound pressure level

SSV Sound source verification

TTS Temporary Threshold Shift

USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Service

2019 HILCORP ALASKA LOWER COOK INLET SEISMIC PROJECT

NMFS & USFWS MARINE MAMMAL MONITORING & MITIGATION REPORT 8

JANUARY 2020

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Hilcorp Alaska, LLC (Hilcorp Alaska) contracted Fairweather Science, LLC (Fairweather Science) to implement the Marine Mammal Monitoring and Mitigation Program (4MP) during their (hereafter, LCI Seismic Project)in Cook Inlet, Alaska. The three-dimensional (3D)

seismic survey was located in central lower Cook Inlet, between Anchor Point and the Iniskin Peninsula

(Figure 1), and comprised approximately 790 square kilometers (km2) over 8 Outer Continental Shelf

(OCS) lease blocks (6357, 6405, 6406, 6407, 6455, 6456, 6457, 6458). A total of 449.25 km2 of 3D seismic

data were acquired during the survey.

Marine mammal observation occurred during activities specified in Letters of Authorization (LOA;

Appendix A) issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and United States Fish and Wildlife

Service (USFWS) on July 31, 2019 and August 5, 2019, respectively. NMFS issued a modified LOA on September 20 to allow nighttime activities. The LCI Seismic Project commenced on September 10 and concluded on October 17, 2019. Four vessels operated during the Project, including; 1 source vessel (Polarcus ), 1 mitigation vessel (R/V []), 1 chase vessel (R/V ), and 1

support vessel (R/V ). One aircraft (P68C), operated by Aspen Helicopters, was utilized for the aerial

survey component. The LCI Seismic Project contracted vessel- and aircraft-based Protected Species

Observers (PSOs); six PSOs were stationed on the Polarcus , four PSOs were stationed on the R/V , and two aerial PSOs conducted surveys from the aircraft. The mitigation vessel was positioned 3-5

km directly ahead of the source vessel on each surveyed trackline in order to extend the observable field of

view forward of the vessel.

Vessel PSOs observed in 2-person teams with shift rotations every four hours (hr) during the period of

daylight between civil twilight dawn and civil twilight dusk. Designated night-shift PSOs on the source

vessel observed during periods of darkness. PSOs monitored from the best possible vantage points on their

respective vessels, which primarily included the bridge or bridge wing. PSOs systematically scanned the

360° area around the vessel, with the naked eye and Fujinon 7×50 reticle binoculars; effort was primarily

focused on the 180° arc forward of the vessel while travelling along the survey tracklines. The total on-effort PSO monitoring time was 1,386.8 hr; PSOs on the Polarcus recorded 786.6 hr of observation and PSOs on the R/V recorded a total of 459.9 hr. The aerial PSO team logged 140.3

flight hours. Forty percent (305.3 hr) of source vessel-based PSO observation time was spent monitoring

during periods of no work, and 60% (481.3 hr) was spent monitoring during seismic operations. A total of 134 sightings (i.e., groups) of 232 individual animals were observed by vessel PSOs from

September 10-October 17, 2019 (Table 1). Sea otters were the most frequently observed species, followed

by humpback whales. There were 5 dead animals recorded over the Project duration, including two beluga

whales (no live beluga whales were sighted). All necessary stranding reporting actions were completed in

a timely manner.

Aerial PSOs recorded 844 sightings of 6,147 individual marine mammals over the Project duration (Table

2). Sea otters were the most frequently observed species, followed by harbor seals.

Mitigation measures identified in the LOAs were incorporated into PSO field protocol and implemented

during the project. Prior to the start of seismic operations, or if seismic operations were down for more than

30 minutes (min), PSOs cleared a series of species-specific zones (Table 1) for 30 min and requested

additional time if marine mammals were present. Additionally, a work shut-down was implemented if a

2019 HILCORP ALASKA LOWER COOK INLET SEISMIC PROJECT

NMFS & USFWS MARINE MAMMAL MONITORING & MITIGATION REPORT 9

JANUARY 2020

marine mammal was observed within the mandatory Exclusion Zone (EZ) or managed clearing zones during vessel activities. During the LCI Seismic Project, 10 marine mammal sightings occurred during clearing, none of which resulted in a start-work delay. Seventy-six individual marine mammals were

observed within the Level B (160 decibels referenced to one microPascal root mean square [dB re 1 µPa

rms]) zone during seismic operations. Two work shutdowns were issued in response to marine mammals that entered the EZ. As required by NMFS and USFWS, weekly (6 total) and monthly reports (1 total) were submitted during the Project. The reports summarized completed and ongoing operations, cumulative numbers of marine mammal sightings, number and type of mitigation measures implemented, and number of exposures recorded.

2019 HILCORP ALASKA LOWER COOK INLET SEISMIC PROJECT

NMFS & USFWS MARINE MAMMAL MONITORING & MITIGATION REPORT 10

JANUARY 2020

Fin whale 8 23 1 0 10.9

Minke whale 8 8 0 0 6.06

Humpback

whale7 14 38 0 0 31.5

Gray whale 0 0 0 0 0

Killer whale 6 21 0 0 6.0

Beluga whale8 2 2 0 0 0

Harbor porpoise9 2 3 0 0 3.0

10 30 0 0 12.06

Steller sea lion 5 5 1 0 4.9

California sea

lion 0 0 0 0 0

Harbor seal10 10 10 0 0 8.0

Sea otter 42 60 0 0 11.0

Other (carcass)11 1 1 0 - -

Unidentified

pinniped 2 2 0 - - - -

Unidentified

dolphin or porpoise

2 4 0 - - - -

Unidentified

Mysticete whale 8 8 0 - - - -

Unidentified

whale 13 16 0 - - - -

Unidentified

marine mammal12 1 1 0 - - - -

1One sighting equals one group.

2Totals do not include individuals from re-sightings.

3Shut downs were requested and implemented immediately.

4Total number of Project exposures from the start of the Project to end.

5Based on actual takes + estimated takes (Section 4.2.1).

6cies (or

unidentified counterpart) entered or approached the 7.1 km Level B

7Exposure totals include unidentified Mysticete whale and unidentified whale sightings.

8Both animals were dead, all appropriate agency reporting procedures occurred.

9Exposure totals include unidentified dolphin or porpoise sightings.

10Exposure totals include unidentified pinniped sightings.

11Suspected land mammal, dead.

12Unidentified marine mammal identified by presence of a splash, occurred during no work, and was not grouped into a species group due to

lack of identifying details. Table 1. Summary of Vessel Marine Mammal Sightings, Shutdowns, Level A Exposures, and Level

B Exposures during the LCI Seismic Project.

2019 HILCORP ALASKA LOWER COOK INLET SEISMIC PROJECT

NMFS & USFWS MARINE MAMMAL MONITORING & MITIGATION REPORT 11

JANUARY 2020

1 2

Fin Whale 2 2

Harbor Porpoise 37 66

Harbor Seal 77 139

Humpback Whale 32 41

Killer Whale 1 4

Minke Whale 3 3

Other 2 9

Sea Otter 666 5,856

Steller Sea Lion 7 7

Unidentified Whale 16 18

1One sighting equals one group.

2Totals do not include re-sightings.

Table 2. Summary of Aerial Marine Mammal Sightings During the LCI Seismic Project.

2019 HILCORP ALASKA LOWER COOK INLET SEISMIC PROJECT

NMFS & USFWS MARINE MAMMAL MONITORING & MITIGATION REPORT 12

JANUARY 2020

1.0INTRODUCTION

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) NMFS and USFWS published final rules

on July 31, 2019, and August 1, 2019, respectively, in response to a petition for an incidental take regulation

(ITR) submitted on June 5, 2019. NMFS and USFWS issued Hilcorp Alaska LOAs on July 31, 2019 and August 5, 2019, respectively, for work proposed to occur in the first year (mid-2019 to mid-2020) of

operations in Cook Inlet, Alaska. These authorizations allowed Hilcorp Alaska to harass small numbers of

marine mammals, by Level A and B acoustic harassment, incidental to the LCI Seismic Project that comm number of takes for the following species: gray whale (), fin whale ( ), minke whale (), humpback whale (), beluga whale (), killer whale (), harbor porpoise ( porpoise ( ), Steller sea lion ( ), California sea lion ( ), and harbor seal (). NMFS issued a modified LOA on September 20 allowing nighttime operations with authorized a small number of takes for the northern sea otter (). Other species of marine mammals were recorded if observed. The 3D seismic survey was located in central lower Cook Inlet, between Anchor Point and the Iniskin Peninsula (Figure 1), and comprised approximately 790 km2 over 8 OCS lease blocks (6357, 6405, 6406,quotesdbs_dbs1.pdfusesText_1

[PDF] gps garmin 72h prix

[PDF] gps mode d'emploi

[PDF] gps principe de fonctionnement pdf

[PDF] gps rtk fonctionnement

[PDF] gps topographie pdf

[PDF] gq sneakers

[PDF] grad bjelovar bjelovar

[PDF] grad bjelovar izbori

[PDF] grad bjelovar javni poziv

[PDF] grad bjelovarž

[PDF] grada bjelovar

[PDF] grade conversion france us

[PDF] grade equivalent uk france

[PDF] grade fonction publique territoriale 2017

[PDF] grade hay