Project Objectives

Conduct visual line-transect surveys and passive acoustic monitoring for cetaceans, and other marine mammals, to determine species occurrence, and to estimate density within Navy’s testing range. Acoustic monitoring devices will be deployed during the vessel based survey, and long-term passive acoustic hydrophones will be monitored for year-round detection of rare and/or cryptic cetacean species.

Project Objectives

Conduct systematic line transect survey for marine mammals for density estimates; conduct survey to determine ecotype identity of killer whales; analyze existing and newly collected data for seasonal occurrence, abundance, and density of cetacean

Project Objectives

Identify acoustically distinct species of beaked whales, odontocetes, and baleen whales that occur in the Mariana Islands; develop a better understanding of marine mammal distribution, habitat use, and abundance