NOAA and BOEM Minimum Recommendations for Use of Passive Acoustic Listening Systems in Offshore Wind Energy Development Monitoring and Mitigation Programs

Sofie M Van Parijs,Shane Guan,Shane Guan,Erica Staaterman,Kyle Baker,Jaclyn Daly,Genevieve E Davis,Amy Scholik-Schlomer,Jordan Carduner,Carter Esch,Nicholas B Sisson

doi:10.3389/fmars.2021.760840

Abstract

Offshore wind energy development is rapidly ramping up in United States (U.S.) waters in order to meet renewable energy goals. With a diverse suite of endangered large whale species and a multitude of other protected marine species frequenting these same waters, understanding the potential consequences of construction and operation activities is essential to advancing responsible offshore wind development. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) represents a newer technology that has become one of several methods of choice for monitoring trends in the presence of species, the soundscape, mitigating risk, and evaluating potential behavioral and distributional changes resulting from offshore wind activities. Federal and State regulators, the offshore wind industry, and environmental advocates require detailed information on PAM capabilities and techniques needed to promote efficient, consistent, and meaningful data collection efforts on local and regional scales. PAM during offshore wind construction and operation may be required by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management through project-related permits and approvals issued pursuant to relevant statutes and regulations. The recommendations in this paper aim to support this need as well as to aid the development of project-specific PAM Plans by identifying minimum procedures, system requirements, and other important components for inclusion, while promoting consistency across plans. These recommendations provide an initial guide for stakeholders to meet the rapid development of the offshore wind industry in United States waters. Approaches to PAM and agency requirements will evolve as future permits are issued and construction plans are approved, regional research priorities are refined, and scientific publications and new technologies become available.

Highlights

Rapid global economic growth has contributed to today’s increasing demand for energy
The main environmental concerns related to offshore wind development for marine animals are primarily focused around construction and operations through increased noise levels, behavioral changes, displacement from important biological areas such as feeding grounds, risk of vessel collisions, changes to benthic and pelagic habitats, alterations to food webs, and pollution from increased vessel traffic or release of contaminants from seabed sediments (e.g., Tougaard et al, 2009; Bailey et al, 2014)
Web portals; for the United States East Coast, some of these standardized efforts are the Passive Acoustic Cetacean Map, WhaleMap11, and WhaleAlert12. These Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) recommendations provide a guide to understanding the various aspects required for designing and conducting PAM for both monitoring and mitigation

Summary

Introduction

Rapid global economic growth has contributed to today’s increasing demand for energy. The development of alternative renewable and clean energy sources, such as solar, wind, and hydrogen energy, has become a priority as countries seek to expand their use of renewable energy sources and meet goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (Leung and Yang, 2012). Among these many renewable resources, offshore wind energy development offers rapidly evolving technological approaches, promising commercial prospects, and large-scale electricity generation such as in Europe. The main environmental concerns related to offshore wind development for marine animals are primarily focused around construction and operations through increased noise levels, behavioral changes, displacement from important biological areas such as feeding grounds, risk of vessel collisions, changes to benthic and pelagic habitats, alterations to food webs, and pollution from increased vessel traffic or release of contaminants from seabed sediments (e.g., Tougaard et al, 2009; Bailey et al, 2014)

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