Harbour porpoise responses to pile-driving diminish over time

Isla M Graham; Nathan D. Merchant; Adrian Farcas; Tim R Candido Barton; Barbara Cheney; Saliza  Bono; Paul M Thompson

doi:10.1098/rsos.190335

Harbour porpoise responses to pile-driving diminish over time

Isla M Graham^* (Corresponding Author), Nathan D. Merchant, Adrian Farcas, Tim R Candido Barton, Barbara Cheney, Saliza Bono, Paul M Thompson

^*Corresponding author for this work

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS)

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Abstract

Estimating impacts of offshore windfarm construction on marine mammals requires data on displacement in relation to different noise levels and sources. Using echolocation detectors and noise recorders, we investigated harbour porpoise behavioural responses to piling noise during the 10-month foundation installation of a North Sea windfarm. Current UK guidance assumes total displacement within 26 km of pile driving. In contrast, we recorded a 50 % probability of response within 7.4 km (95 % CI = 5.7 – 9.4) at the first location piled, decreasing to 1.3 km (95 % CI = 0.2 – 2.8) by the final location; representing 28 % (95 % CI = 21 – 35) and 18 % (95 % CI = 13 – 23) displacement of individuals within 26 km. Distance proved as good a predictor of responses as audiogram weighted received levels, presenting a more practicable variable for environmental assessments. Critically, acoustic deterrent device (ADD) use and vessel activity increased response levels. Policy and management to minimise impacts of renewables on cetaceans have concentrated on pile-driving noise. Our results highlight the need to consider trade-offs between efforts to reduce far-field behavioural disturbance and near-field injury through ADD use.

Original language	English
Article number	190335
Number of pages	13
Journal	Royal Society Open Science
Volume	6
Issue number	6
Early online date	26 Jun 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.190335 https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4537181 https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.5qg30sd
Publication status	Published - Jun 2019

Bibliographical note

This study was funded by Beatrice Offshore Wind Ltd. (BOWL) using equipment previously purchased by UK Department of Energy & Climate Change, Scottish Government, Oil and Gas UK, COWRIE and Moray Offshore Renewables Ltd. P.T. and T.B. were core funded by University of Aberdeen. N.M. and A.F. were core funded by Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science. I.G. and B.C. were core funded by University of Aberdeen but with salary support for the period of this study though contract to BOWL. S.B. was a self-funded post-graduate student.

Keywords

acoustic disturbance
anthropogenic noise
behavioural response
environmental risk assessment
marine mammal conservation
Environmental risk assessment
Marine mammal conservation
Behavioural response
Acoustic disturbance
Anthropogenic noise
PHOCOENA-PHOCOENA
DOSE-RESPONSE
MARINE MAMMALS
DISTURBANCE
IMPACT
BEHAVIORAL-RESPONSES
SHIP NOISE
WIND FARMS
CONSTRUCTION
EXPOSURE

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1098/rsos.190335Licence: CC BY
10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4537181Licence: Unspecified
10.5061/dryad.5qg30sdLicence: Unspecified

Harbour porpoise responses to pile-driving diminish over time
Copyright 2019 The Authors. Published by the Royal Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, which permits unrestricted use, provided the original author and source are credited.
Final published version, 1.11 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Harbour porpoise responses to pile-driving diminish over time",

abstract = "Estimating impacts of offshore windfarm construction on marine mammals requires data on displacement in relation to different noise levels and sources. Using echolocation detectors and noise recorders, we investigated harbour porpoise behavioural responses to piling noise during the 10-month foundation installation of a North Sea windfarm. Current UK guidance assumes total displacement within 26 km of pile driving. In contrast, we recorded a 50 % probability of response within 7.4 km (95 % CI = 5.7 – 9.4) at the first location piled, decreasing to 1.3 km (95 % CI = 0.2 – 2.8) by the final location; representing 28 % (95 % CI = 21 – 35) and 18 % (95 % CI = 13 – 23) displacement of individuals within 26 km. Distance proved as good a predictor of responses as audiogram weighted received levels, presenting a more practicable variable for environmental assessments. Critically, acoustic deterrent device (ADD) use and vessel activity increased response levels. Policy and management to minimise impacts of renewables on cetaceans have concentrated on pile-driving noise. Our results highlight the need to consider trade-offs between efforts to reduce far-field behavioural disturbance and near-field injury through ADD use. ",

keywords = "acoustic disturbance, anthropogenic noise, behavioural response, environmental risk assessment, marine mammal conservation, Environmental risk assessment, Marine mammal conservation, Behavioural response, Acoustic disturbance, Anthropogenic noise, PHOCOENA-PHOCOENA, DOSE-RESPONSE, MARINE MAMMALS, DISTURBANCE, IMPACT, BEHAVIORAL-RESPONSES, SHIP NOISE, WIND FARMS, CONSTRUCTION, EXPOSURE",

author = "Graham, {Isla M} and Merchant, {Nathan D.} and Adrian Farcas and {Candido Barton}, {Tim R} and Barbara Cheney and Saliza Bono and Thompson, {Paul M}",

note = "This study was funded by Beatrice Offshore Wind Ltd. (BOWL) using equipment previously purchased by UK Department of Energy & Climate Change, Scottish Government, Oil and Gas UK, COWRIE and Moray Offshore Renewables Ltd. P.T. and T.B. were core funded by University of Aberdeen. N.M. and A.F. were core funded by Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science. I.G. and B.C. were core funded by University of Aberdeen but with salary support for the period of this study though contract to BOWL. S.B. was a self-funded post-graduate student. ",

year = "2019",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1098/rsos.190335",

language = "English",

volume = "6",

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AU - Graham, Isla M

AU - Merchant, Nathan D.

AU - Farcas, Adrian

AU - Candido Barton, Tim R

AU - Cheney, Barbara

AU - Bono, Saliza

AU - Thompson, Paul M

N1 - This study was funded by Beatrice Offshore Wind Ltd. (BOWL) using equipment previously purchased by UK Department of Energy & Climate Change, Scottish Government, Oil and Gas UK, COWRIE and Moray Offshore Renewables Ltd. P.T. and T.B. were core funded by University of Aberdeen. N.M. and A.F. were core funded by Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science. I.G. and B.C. were core funded by University of Aberdeen but with salary support for the period of this study though contract to BOWL. S.B. was a self-funded post-graduate student.

PY - 2019/6

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N2 - Estimating impacts of offshore windfarm construction on marine mammals requires data on displacement in relation to different noise levels and sources. Using echolocation detectors and noise recorders, we investigated harbour porpoise behavioural responses to piling noise during the 10-month foundation installation of a North Sea windfarm. Current UK guidance assumes total displacement within 26 km of pile driving. In contrast, we recorded a 50 % probability of response within 7.4 km (95 % CI = 5.7 – 9.4) at the first location piled, decreasing to 1.3 km (95 % CI = 0.2 – 2.8) by the final location; representing 28 % (95 % CI = 21 – 35) and 18 % (95 % CI = 13 – 23) displacement of individuals within 26 km. Distance proved as good a predictor of responses as audiogram weighted received levels, presenting a more practicable variable for environmental assessments. Critically, acoustic deterrent device (ADD) use and vessel activity increased response levels. Policy and management to minimise impacts of renewables on cetaceans have concentrated on pile-driving noise. Our results highlight the need to consider trade-offs between efforts to reduce far-field behavioural disturbance and near-field injury through ADD use.

AB - Estimating impacts of offshore windfarm construction on marine mammals requires data on displacement in relation to different noise levels and sources. Using echolocation detectors and noise recorders, we investigated harbour porpoise behavioural responses to piling noise during the 10-month foundation installation of a North Sea windfarm. Current UK guidance assumes total displacement within 26 km of pile driving. In contrast, we recorded a 50 % probability of response within 7.4 km (95 % CI = 5.7 – 9.4) at the first location piled, decreasing to 1.3 km (95 % CI = 0.2 – 2.8) by the final location; representing 28 % (95 % CI = 21 – 35) and 18 % (95 % CI = 13 – 23) displacement of individuals within 26 km. Distance proved as good a predictor of responses as audiogram weighted received levels, presenting a more practicable variable for environmental assessments. Critically, acoustic deterrent device (ADD) use and vessel activity increased response levels. Policy and management to minimise impacts of renewables on cetaceans have concentrated on pile-driving noise. Our results highlight the need to consider trade-offs between efforts to reduce far-field behavioural disturbance and near-field injury through ADD use.

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KW - Anthropogenic noise

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KW - MARINE MAMMALS

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KW - IMPACT

KW - BEHAVIORAL-RESPONSES

KW - SHIP NOISE

KW - WIND FARMS

KW - CONSTRUCTION

KW - EXPOSURE

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Harbour porpoise responses to pile-driving diminish over time

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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