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- July 1, 2025
Beaked whales (Family Ziphiidae; Order Cetacea) are the least well-described group of marine mammals because they conduct very long deep dives, spend little time on the surface where they display cryptic behavior, and are difficult to identify due to the similarity between species. Beaked whales are also known to be susceptible to high-energy sound sources in the ocean (e.g. seismic research, sonars used by military activities).
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- June 1, 2014
This report summarizes information from 24 U.S. Navy-funded aerial surveys of pinniped haulout sites in the inland waters of Washington State conducted between March 2013 and February 2014 by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
- 2,946.44 KB
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- April 1, 2014
During this survey, the visual team surveyed 4,504 kilometers (km) of ‘full-effort,’ which included 349 km of ‘transit-effort.’ There was an additional 375 km of ‘fog-effort’ (transect and transit). Based on total effort, there were 802 sightings (1,998 individuals) of 13 confirmed marine mammal species, with an additional 162 sightings (228 individuals) of unidentified cetaceans and pinnipeds (including those recorded on transit and during off-effort mode).
- 12,416.19 KB
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- August 5, 2009
Aerial surveys were conducted in conjunction with two US Navy (Navy) Major Training Events (MTE) involving mid-frequency active sonar (MFAS) and explosives in October (Oct) and mid-November (Nov) 2008 in the Southern California Range Complex (SOCAL) off San Diego, California. The purpose of this survey was to monitor potential effects or lack of observable effects of MFAS and explosives on mammals and sea turtles (MM/ST) during a MTE from 17-21 Oct and beginning one day after a MTE from 15-18 Nov.
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- August 6, 2025
The Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), NOAA Fisheries, with support from the U.S. Navy, conducted line transect surveys in Behm Canal and adjacent areas in the spring of 2023 and fall of 2024 to obtain estimates of density and abundance of cetaceans and information on marine mammal distribution and occurrence.
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Complete
Accelerometry Tag Development
Project Objectives
Increase capacity and develop training for marine mammal monitoring in Hawaii utilizing non-invasive triaxial accelerometry biologging tags to quantify fine-scale behavioral and energetic responses of protected species to potential anthropogenic disturbance
Complete
Assessment of Marine Mammal Vocal Response to Sonar
Project Objectives
Develop analytic methods to evaluate the vocal response of odontocetes and mysticetes to sonar from navy training activities
Current
Behavioral Response Analysis of Two Populations of Short-Finned Pilot Whales to Mid-Frequency Active Sonar
Project Objectives
Utilize newly developed statistical methods from the Atlantic BRS project and apply them to all the satellite-tagged pilot whales from both the Atlantic and Pacific studies.
Current
Estimation of Received Levels of MFAS and Behavioral Response of Marine Mammals at PMRF
Project Objectives
Further our understanding of the Monitoring Questions: 1) What is the occurrence and estimated received levels of MFAS on 'blackfish', humpback, minke, sperm and Blainville's beaked whales within the PMRF instrumented range? and 2) What, if any, are the short term behavioral responses of 'blackfish,' humpback, minke, sperm and Blainville's beaked whales when exposed to MFAS/explosions at different levels/conditions at PMRF?
Current
Jacksonville Shallow Water Training Range Vessel Surveys and M3R Species Verifications
Project Objectives
Monitor species composition and distribution on JSWTR, support M3R species verifications
Current
Mid-Atlantic Offshore Cetacean Study
Project Objectives
Assess occurrence, habitat use, and baseline behavior of cetaceans in the offshore and continental shelf break region of the VACAPES OPAREA
Complete
Occurrence, Ecology, and Behavior of Deep-diving Odontocetes
Project Objectives
Establish behavioral baseline and foraging ecology. Assess behavioral response to acoustic stimuli and Navy training activities
Current
Pacific Islands Comprehensive Stranding Investigations
Project Objectives
Conduct comprehensive investigations of stranded marine mammals throughout the Pacific Islands with emphasis on the Hawaiian and Mariana Island chains. This includes conducting necropsies of stranded animals, collecting and archiving samples, conducting disease screening, genetic testing, and analysis of historical data. The objective is to examine stranding patterns and causes of death for marine mammals in the Pacific Islands.
Complete
Small vessel visual surveys in the Mariana Islands Range Complex
Project Objectives
Identify species of beaked whales, odontocetes, and baleen whales that occur in the Mariana Islands; Monitor marine mammal and sea turtle presence, distribution, and diversity in nearshore waters during key seasons (summer and winter); Develop a better understanding of marine mammal distribution, movement patterns, habitat use, population structure, and abundance; Develop reference library of visually-validated acoustic recordings of marine mammals.
Current
Visual Survey and Tagging of Hawaiian Odontocetes
Project Objectives
(1) define the spatial movement and habitat use patterns of species that are exposed to mid-frequency active (MFA) sonar (2) determine how these patterns influence exposure and potential responses
Kaua‘i field project - August 2026
August 25, 2026
Researchers from Cascadia Research Collective are conducting a 9-day field session off Kaua'i to deploy LIMPET satellite tags on odontocete cetaceans prior to a Submarine Command Course (SCC) to be able to examine their behavior before, during, and after the training event. Click on the image below to see daily updates from the field.
Kaua'i Field Work Updates
February 20, 2025
Scientists from Cascadia Research Collective recently completed a ~9-day field project off Kaua’i that started on February 9th. This project is timed to occur prior to a Submarine Command Course (SCC) training event. The primary goal is to deploy satellite telemetry tags on multiple species of odontocete cetaceans prior to the SCC, to be able to examine their behavior before, during, and after the event. This approach has been very successful in the past as a way of examining how different species respond to Navy training activities including mid-frequency active sonar (MFAS). Click through the picture below to see daily updates.
