Small Research Vessel Research Articles

Disentangling eukaryotic biodiversity patterns from man‐made environments (port and marina) and nearby coral reefs in the Red Sea: A focus on the surveillance of non‐indigenous species

AbstractMan‐made environments such as ports and marinas are gateways for many marine non‐indigenous species (mNIS) transported via shipping worldwide. These habitats are often the focus of biosecurity programs for the surveillance of mNIS, but there have been few studies investigating the distribution of biofouling communities in natural habitats and nearby artificial habitats. Here, following a DNA metabarcoding approach, we tested for differences in spatio‐temporal trends of biological pioneer communities established after one‐week colonization between a port, a marina, and coral reefs using two different matrices (PVC panels and water samples) in the central Red Sea. In addition, we aimed to investigate differences in the prevalence of mNIS between man‐made and natural habitats during the summer and winter seasons, and whether the number and patterns of mNIS differed between the port (an active historic port subjected to intense shipping traffic) and the marina (a small recently developed marina utilized by small and medium research vessels). The community structure from samples collected at the two coral reefs showed greater similarity to each other compared to that obtained from the port and the marina. A total of 29 mNIS were detected across all sites, of which 16 were reported in the Red Sea for the first time, with Jeddah port hosting 28 mNIS. By applying standardized methodological approaches, this study provides comparable data regarding the monitoring of introduced and invasive species, particularly within the data‐poor Red Sea, a major shipping corridor. This study serves as the foundation for implementing a robust and rapid baseline monitoring system to assess native biodiversity and facilitate the early detection of NIS.

Progress in the Industry-University-Institute Cooperative Use of Research Vessels

With the support of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of Korea, the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) promoted ‘The study for the industry-university-institute cooperative use of research vessels’, which was an opportunity to advance domestic ocean research to the next level, in line with the launch of the R/V Isabu in 2017. A brief history in relation to the project is described in Lee (Ocean Sci J 57(2), 2022) in this issue. Celebrating the 5th year of the project, KIOST (Marine scientists on a boat, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Busan, 2021) has published a resource book on the progress of the project excluding scientific papers. In this special issue, some of the scientific results from the project are grouped together and introduced. The joint use of research vessels started with large research vessels and gradually expanded to small research vessels. Thus, the target area of the study also included from the open ocean to the coastal waters (KIOST, in Marine scientists on a boat, KIOST Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Busan, 2021) as shown in the papers featured in this issue.

Acoustic Characteristics of Small Research Vessels

Vessel noise is an acute and chronic stressor of a wide variety of marine fauna. Understanding, modelling and mitigating the impacts of this pollutant requires quantification of acoustic signatures for various vessel classes for input into propagation models and at present there is a paucity of such data for small vessels (<25 m). Our study provides this information for three small vessels (<6 m length and 30, 90 and 180 hp engines). The closest point of approach was recorded at various ranges across a flat, ≈10 m deep sandy lagoon, for multiple passes at multiple speeds (≈5, 10, 20, 30 km h−1) by each vessel at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Radiated noise levels (RNLs) and environment-affected source levels (ASLs) determined by linear regression were estimated for each vessel and speed. From the slowest to fastest speeds, median RNLs ranged between 153.4 and 166.1 dB re 1 µPa m, whereas ASLs ranged from 146.7 to 160.0 dB re 1 µPa m. One-third octave band-level RNLs are provided for each vessel–speed scenario, together with their interpolated received levels with range. Our study provides data on source spectra of small vessels to assist in understanding and modelling of acoustic exposure experienced by marine fauna.

HISTORY OF PETER THE GREAT BAY DISCOVER AND OCEANOGRAPHIC SURVEYS IN THE JAPAN SEA TILL THE MIDDLE 20TH CENTURY

Peter the Great Bay (PGB) was not known to Europeans for a long time. The first European ship reached PGB in 1852. She was the French corvette Capricieuse commanded by captain G. de Rocquemaurel who was sent by his government for exploring the western coast of the Japan Sea; actually he had described the Posyet Bay only. Later the British HMS Winchester and Barracuda visited PGB in August, 1856. They discovered the Golden Horn Bay, them as Port May, and gave names to many other geographical locations. Large Russian expedition of 7 vessels was sent to Primorye coast under the leadership of N.N. Muravyov-Amursky, the Governor-General of Eastern Siberia, in the summer of 1859. They described thoroughly the entire PGB and changed many (not all) foreign geographical names to Russian ones. Scientific researches in the Japan Sea were started soon by L.I. Schrenk, who summarized the results of Russian observations in two books published in 1869 and 1874. Great success in understanding of oceanographic regime was the work of S.O. Makarov «The «Vitiaz» and the Pacific Ocean» (1894). S. Ogura created in 1927 the general chart of currents in the Japan Sea on the base of Japanese observations in 1900–1911 that was more detailed and comprehensive than the first chart of L.I. Shrenk. Moreover, S. Ogura plotted the water temperature and salinity distribution over the whole Japan Sea for February and August. Oceanographic studies in PGB were made in 1920s by K.A. Gomoyunov, the first professional oceanographer who lived constantly in the Russian Far East; he began from the Amur Bay survey in the summer of 1925. The USSR Hydrographic Office conducted the oceanographic survey in PGB and the Tatar Strait in 1926–1928, with measuring of temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen content, pH, and water transparency, with the deepest measurements at the depth of 3500 m. In 1932, the Pacific Res. Inst. of Fisheries in Vladivostok together with the State Hydrographic Institute in Leningrad organized the large-scale Pacific expedition that covered all Far-Eastern Seas. In the framework of this expedition, the 5 cruises of RV Rossinante to the Japan Sea headed by N.I. Tarasov explored PGB, too, that allowed to analyze seasonal variations of temperature, salinity, oxygen content, and currents. Oceanographic researches in the Japan Sea became more active in the times of WWII, 4 small research vessels made observations at Primorye coast every month from April to October under general supervision of A.M. Batalin; in total, more than 100 exits to the sea were recorded in 1941–1946. The data collected in those years was the basis for the big atlas of the Japan Sea created under the leadership of A.I. Rumyantsev and published in 1951.

SnotBot: A whale of a deep-learning project

It's a beautiful morning on the waters of Alaska's Peril Strait — clear, calm, silent, and just a little cool. A small but seaworthy research vessel glides through gentle swells. Suddenly, in the distance, a humpback whale the size of a school bus explodes out of the water. Enormous bursts of air and water jet out of its blowholes like a fire hose, the noise echoing between the banks. • “Blow at eleven o'clock!” cries the lookout, and the small boat swarms with activity. A crew member wearing a helmet and cut-proof gloves raises a large quadcopter drone over his head, as if offering it to the sun, which glints off the half dozen plastic petri dishes velcroed to the drone. • Further back in the boat, the drone pilot calls, “Starting engines in 3, 2, 1! Takeoff in 3, 2, 1!” The drone's engines buzz as it zooms 20 meters into the air and then darts off toward where the whale just dipped below the water's surface. With luck, the whale will spout again nearby, and the drone will be there when it does.

Variability of radiated underwater noise measurements for a small research vessel in shallow water

The increased interest in the potential environmental impact of noise from shipping is resulting in the development of measurement methods for determining the radiated noise level and equivalent monopole source level of vessels. It is important to understand the random and systematic uncertainties associated with such techniques. The EU SONIC project provided an opportunity to make repeated measurements on the University of Newcastle research vessel, the Princess Royal, in a shallow water environment (100 m deep) over a number of days. Two multiple hydrophone arrays operated by two of the project partners, CETENA and the University of Southampton, were deployed from the same moored support vessel. This data is reviewed to illustrate the variation associated with such measurements and the impact of using multiple hydrophones and multiple measurement runs on the uncertainty in the radiated noise level and the calculated source level. The results are also compared with a later measurements of the same vessel in a different shallow water environment (20 m deep) using bottom moored hydrophones.

Spatial variability of CO2 concentrations and biogeochemistry in the Lower Columbia River

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from rivers and other inland waters are thought to be a major component of regional and global carbon cycling. In large managed rivers such as the Columbia River, contemporary ecosystem changes such as damming, nutrient enrichment, and increased water residence times may lead to reduced CO2 concentrations (and emissions) due to increased primary production, as has been shown in another large North American river (Upper Mississippi). In this work, spatial patterns of water quality, including dissolved CO2 concentrations, were assessed in the Lower Columbia River (LCR) and major tributaries using underway measurements from a small research vessel during July 2016. We observed near-equilibrium CO2 conditions and overall weak supersaturation of CO2 in the main channel (average 133.8% saturation) and tributaries. We observed only weak correlations between CO2 saturation, chlorophyll a fluorescence, and turbidity, thus not strongly supporting our hypothesis of primary productivity controls. In general, the LCR was clear (low turbidity, mean = 1.48 FNU) and had low chlorophyll fluorescence (mean = 0.177 RFU) during the sampling period. As a whole, the LCR was homogeneous with respect to biogeochemical conditions and showed low spatial variability at >100 km scales. Overall, we find that the LCR is likely a weak summertime source of CO2 to the atmosphere, in line with findings from other altered rivers such as the Upper Mississippi.

Measurement of Antenna Patterns for Oceanographic Radars Using Aerial Drones

AbstractA new method is described employing small drone aircraft for antenna pattern measurements (APMs) of high-frequency (HF) oceanographic radars used for observing ocean surface currents. Previous studies have shown that accurate surface current measurements using HF radar require APMs. The APMs provide directional calibration of the receive antennas for direction-finding radars. In the absence of APMs, so-called ideal antenna patterns are assumed and these can differ substantially from measured patterns. Typically, APMs are obtained using small research vessels carrying radio signal sources or transponders in circular arcs around individual radar sites. This procedure is expensive because it requires seagoing technicians, a vessel, and other equipment necessary to support small-boat operations. Furthermore, adverse sea conditions and obstacles in the water can limit the ability of small vessels to conduct APMs. In contrast, it is shown that drone aircraft can successfully conduct APMs at much lower cost and in a broader range of sea states with comparable accuracy. Drone-based patterns can extend farther shoreward, since they are not affected by the surfzone, and thereby expand the range of bearings over which APMs are determined. This simplified process for obtaining APMs can lead to more frequent calibrations and improved surface current measurements.

Uncertainty of full-scale manoeuvring trial results estimated using a simulation model

This paper describes how to estimate the uncertainty of manoeuvring sea trial results without performing repeated tests using only a simulation model. The approach is based on the Monte Carlo method of uncertainty propagation. Moreover, the global sensitivity analysis procedure based on variance decomposition is described. As an example, the method is applied to estimate the uncertainty of 10°/10° zigzag overshoot angles and a 20° turning circle advance and tactical diameter for a small research vessel. The estimated uncertainty is compared with corresponding experimental uncertainty assessed from repeated tests. The method can be useful for validation studies and other studies that involve the uncertainty of sea trial results.

Information About Dynamics of the Sea Surface as a Means to Improve Safety of the Unmanned Vessel at Sea

Abstract One of the fundamental states of the sea surface is its heave. Despite of years of the intense scientific inquiry, no clear understanding of the influence of this aspect on the dynamics of the sea environment has emerged. The separation of two nearby fluid elements which one may observed for example as a free floating of small objects on the sea surface (rescuers on the rough sea or small research vessels) is caused by the interaction of different components. On the other hand one may say that the heave of the sea is also a summary interaction of a few components describing the dynamics of the sea. Therefore it is the most important aspect, which influenced the dispersion phenomenon. This observation has important consequences for many different problems as for example conducting Search and Rescue missions and using unmanned ships. We would like to present results of our experiment focused on finding the answer to question about nature of the heave of the sea and its influence on safety of Unmanned Surface Vessels (USV).

The effect of close approaches for tagging activities by small research vessels on the behavior of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)

AbstractSmall research vessels are often used as platforms for tagging activities to collect behavioral data on cetaceans and they have the potential to disturb that group or individual. If this disturbance is ignored, results and conclusions produced by that study could be inaccurate. Here land‐based behavioral data of migrating humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) (n = 29) were used to determine the effect of close approaches for tagging by research vessels on their diving, movement and surface behaviors. Groups of whales were tagged, using digital recording tags, by small research vessels, as part of a behavioral response study. In groups that were approached for tagging, temporary changes in movement behaviors during close approaches were found, with subsequent recovery to “pre‐approach” levels. In female‐calf groups more long‐term changes in travel speed were found. Results suggest that, although close approaches for tagging by small vessels may cause behavioral changes in humpback whales, this change may be small and temporary. However, in female‐calf groups, the behavioral change may be greater and longer lasting. This study shows that when using small vessels for behavioral research, disturbance, and recovery should be measured to ensure integrity of data used for other analyses.

A Novel System for the Deployment and Retrieval of Trawl Gear from the Bow of a Small Research Vessel

Abstract Research vessel crews have increasingly applied trawling gear in a diversity of freshwater habitats, including river systems. Crews typically deploy and retrieve trawling gear by hand or with hydraulic winches. These methods are often labor intensive and require crews of three or more people to operate safely. Additionally, unless the research vessel has an inboard engine with power take-off capabilities, hydraulic winches will need to be powered by a generator, requiring additional maintenance and creating a loud work environment. We describe a new system for the deployment and retrieval of trawling gear that is suitable for smaller vessels where a hydraulic system may not be practical. This system utilizes electric line haulers mounted on davits at the bow of the boat. The line haulers are retrofitted with a novel mechanism for loading the trawl line into the line hauler pulley, allowing deployment and retrieval of many types of trawl gear by one deckhand and one boat operator. The electric trawl retrieval system is powered by a battery bank that charges from the boat motor, thereby reducing risk of hearing damage from generator noise. We have designed it to be interchangeable and portable amongst different research vessels, which increases sampling efficiency and reduces costs.

Measurement of radiated underwater noise from a small research vessel in shallow water

The impact of man-made underwater noise on the marine environment has recently received increased attention from regulatory authorities, as evidenced by inclusion in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Radiated underwater noise from ships, primarily resulting from propeller cavitation, has for many years been understood to be one of the major contributors to ambient ocean noise. Civilian research in this area has to date been relatively limited; standards covering the measurement of radiated noise from ships in deep water and associated data analysis procedures have only recently been published by national and international standards institutes. Less attention has so far been paid to the measurement of radiated noise from ships in shallow water environments. This is of interest as shallow water areas are more likely to be used by civilian researchers due to the logistical problems involved in undertaking trials in deep water. The issue of shipping noise has been identified as one requiring further research, indicated by the recent funding of several large collaborative projects by the EU (e.g. the SILENV, AQUO and SONIC projects). This paper presents ship radiated noise data measured using a three hydrophone array during a sea trial undertaken as part of the SONIC project.

Higher surface ozone concentrations over the Chesapeake Bay than over the adjacent land: Observations and models from the DISCOVER-AQ and CBODAQ campaigns

Air quality models, such as the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model, indicate decidedly higher ozone near the surface of large interior water bodies, such as the Great Lakes and Chesapeake Bay. In order to test the validity of the model output, we performed surface measurements of ozone (O3) and total reactive nitrogen (NOy) on the 26-m Delaware II NOAA Small Research Vessel experimental (SRVx), deployed in the Chesapeake Bay for 10 daytime cruises in July 2011 as part of NASA's GEO-CAPE CBODAQ oceanographic field campaign in conjunction with NASA's DISCOVER-AQ air quality field campaign. During this 10-day period, the EPA O3 regulatory standard of 75 ppbv averaged over an 8-h period was exceeded four times over water while ground stations in the area only exceeded the standard at most twice. This suggests that on days when the Baltimore/Washington region is in compliance with the EPA standard, air quality over the Chesapeake Bay might exceed the EPA standard. Ozone observations over the bay during the afternoon were consistently 10–20% higher than the closest upwind ground sites during the 10-day campaign; this pattern persisted during good and poor air quality days. A lower boundary layer, reduced cloud cover, slower dry deposition rates, and other lesser mechanisms, contribute to the local maximum of ozone over the Chesapeake Bay. Observations from this campaign were compared to a CMAQ simulation at 1.33 km resolution. The model is able to predict the regional maximum of ozone over the Chesapeake Bay accurately, but NOy concentrations are significantly overestimated. Explanations for the overestimation of NOy in the model simulations are also explored.

Assessing Options for Using a Continuous Underway Fish Egg Sampler to Enhance Dedicated Daily Egg Production Studies Conducted from Small Research Vessels

This study was undertaken to identify options for using a Continuous Underway Fish Egg Sampler (CUFES) to enhance the application of the Daily Egg Production Method (DEPM) in situations where targeted surveys are conducted from small research vessels (e.g. <25m) and the time spent at each sampling site is short (e.g. <10 min). To do this, we conducted experiments to: 1) determine the reliability of information obtained from onboard examination of CUFES samples; 2) assess the sampling efficiency of CUFES while on-site and underway and 3) measure the effectiveness of underway CUFES samples in predicting the presence/absence of sardine eggs in the following CalVET net sample. We also compared the accuracy, precision and costs of estimates of total daily egg production obtained using data obtained from CalVET net samples taken at 1) predetermined sites (low and high sampling intensities) and 2) CUFES-determined sites. The accuracy of onboard estimates of egg abundance appeared to be affected by sea conditions. The efficiency of CUFES as an underway sampler was also lower when sea conditions were rough. Data from laboratory analyses of underway CUFES samples were a good predictor of egg abundance in the following CalVET net sample. Estimates of total egg production using CalVET samples from CUFES-determined sites based on laboratory analyses of CUFES samples differed by less than 10% from those obtained from pre-determined sites. However, estimates based on onboard analyses of CUFES samples differed from those obtained from pre-determined sites by up to 50%. When the time spent taking each CalVET sample is low (e.g. less than 10 minutes), using data from CUFES to reduce the number of samples taken using CalVET nets is not the optimal use of this technology. This is mainly because of difficulties associated with sorting plankton samples at sea, but also because in situations where the time spent at each site is short, the small decreases in field (cruise duration) and laboratory (sorting) costs do not outweigh the reductions in the reliability of estimates of egg production. However, CUFES data does appear to provide a potentially important source of information to increase the reliability of estimates of total daily egg production. Numerical techniques (e.g. analogous to integrated fishery assessment models) need to be developed to integrate data obtained from CUFES and CalVET nets to provide more accurate and precise estimates of total daily egg production for DEPM studies.

Yellow submarine

About 48 kilometers off the eastern coast of the United States, scientists from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, peered over the side of a small research vessel, the Arabella. They had just launched RU27, a 2-meter-long oceanographic probe shaped like a torpedo with wings. Although it sported a bright yellow paint job for good visibility, it was unclear whether anyone would ever see this underwater robot again. Its mission, simply put, was to cross the Atlantic before its batteries gave out. The paper discusses the events that the scientists conducted using the RU27 underwater robot.

Comparison of SWATH and Monohull Vessel Motion for Regional Class Research Vessels

The attitude characteristics of two small research vessels, a 539 displacement ton monohull (R/V Point Sur) and a 419 displacement ton SWATH (R/V Western Flyer) are compared. The comparison is based upon 134 (147) motion measurements carried out on the Point Sur (Western Flyer) in 2003-2005. Measurements were made using a tilt meter and a vertical gyro. When hove-to, rms pitch and roll (vertical acceleration) increased with increasing sea height on the monohull at three (six) times the rate of the SWATH. When cruising, the fins on the subsurface hulls of the SWATH effectively damped the pitch (roll) caused by head and bow seas, reducing the amplitude by a factor of 2 (10) compared to those observed while hove-to; accelerations were reduced by a greater amount as the frequency of pitch and roll was reduced. In contrast, cruising motion (pitch, roll, acceleration) on the monohull increased when seas were on or forward of the beam. The only point where the cruising monohull appeared to out-perform the SWATH was for pitch in quartering/stern seas &gt; 10 ft.

Design of a Small Fisheries Research Vessel with Low Level of Underwater-Radiated Noise

It is important for a fisheries research vessel to reduce the underwater-radiated noise. In 1995, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) firstly recommended the maximum noise level for research vessels to ensure the acoustic research works and to prevent the fish reaction against the noise. Since then, it has been the world standard for the design of fisheries research vessels. For a small size vessel, however, it is very difficult to achieve the recommendations because of not enough space or capacity to make sound insulations. Moreover, the Froude number (Fn) of such small vessels tends to be higher than that of the larger vessels. Since the higher Froude number of the operating condition causes the large wave-making resistance, both propeller thrust and occurrence of cavitation increase, which tends to result in the higher level of underwater-radiated noise. Meanwhile, the fisheries research-cost can be reduced by using a small vessel, because not only the construction and operation cost, but also maintenance cost become lower than those of a large vessel. It would be desirable and efficient if a small vessel could satisfy the ICES's recommendation in place of a large research vessel.In this paper, the authors propose a design method for a small research vessel to reduce the underwater-radiated noise level. Utilizing this method, a small fisheries research vessel whose capacity is 290 GT and length is 33.5 m has been designed. From the sea trials after the construction, it has been proved successfully that the underwater-radiated noise level is the world lowest class at 10 knots (Fn=0.28) of researching speed and still satisfies the ICES's recommendation even in 11.6 knots (Fn=0.33) of the high-speed region.

Mooring developments for autonomous ocean-sampling networks

Two general-purpose mooring designs have been developed to support autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) operations in autonomous ocean sampling networks (AOSNs). These moorings provide two-way communications between investigators and AUVs docked on the moorings or conducting survey operations some distance from the moorings. A deep-water design that incorporates an AUV dock and recharging station was built for use in the Labrador Sea during the winter of 1997/1998. This severe winter environment required a robust design that could operate unattended for six months while isolating the dock from surface wave motion. A much lighter, easier-to-deploy design was developed for use in coastal waters to extend the nearshore AOSN operating area by extending the communications network. This coastal design has been deployed without the dock component and has typically been configured for use in a small network of moorings maintained with a small research vessel. The deep-water mooring has been deployed successfully on two occasions, for short periods of time. The coastal moorings have been deployed a number of times and have proven to be quite effective. This paper describes the two moorings in detail and provides information on their performance so that interested investigators can utilize the technology where it meets their needs.

Playback experiments with long-finned pilot whales using a new broadband transmitter

Recently, a portable broadband acoustic transmission system (BATS) was developed as a joint venture between the Defence Research Establishment Atlantic and Sensor Technology Limited in Collingwood, Ontario. This transmitter is battery operated, easily deployed from small research vessels, and can produce source levels of 165 dB//1 μPa-m throughout its 1–14 kHz operating frequency band. The BATS was used by researchers from the Whitehead Laboratory at Dalhousie University to investigate vocal mimicry in long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) off the coast of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia during the summer of 1999. A series of frequency-modulated tones in the 2–10 kHz band and using 33 cycles was played back to the pilot whales from the BATS and the acoustic responses were recorded using a hydrophone and tape recorder. Evidence that the whales heard these stimuli was extracted from the recordings and estimates of received levels were made. Although there were no instances of clear mimicry of the stimuli, there were a few tantalizing whale vocalizations that have highlighted the need for further experimentation. [Work supported in part by NSERC, Canada.]