US Navy
Marine Species Monitoring
Atlantic Region: Current Projects
Atlantic Fleet Training & Testing Monitoring Projects
The table below summarizes marine species monitoring projets being conducted in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico in support of Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) Marine Mammal Protection Act requirements (50 CFR Part 218). Reports and data from these projects will be made available on the individual project profile pages and the Reading Room as they become available.
Project titles link directly to individual project profile pages with additional details and access to data and reports.
*Intermediate Scientific Objectives are established in coordination with NMFS through the Strategic Planning Process to help prioritize monitoring investments
| Project Description | Intermediate Scientific Objective* | Status |
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Title: Mid-Atlantic Nearshore & Mid-shelf Baleen Whale Monitoring
Location: VACAPES Mid-Atlantic shelf Objectives: Assess occurrence, habitat use, and baseline behavior of baleen whales in the mid-Atlantic region Methods: Visual surveys, focal follow observation, morphometrics, photo ID, biopsy sampling, satellite tagging Performing Organizations: HDR Inc, Kimora Solutions, NAVFAC Atlantic Timeline: 2021-ongoing Funding: FY22 - $570K, FY23 - $1M |
Establish the baseline habitat uses and movement patterns of marine mammals where Navy training and testing activities occur Establish the baseline behavior (foraging, dive patterns, etc.) of marine mammals where Navy training and testing activities occur |
Ongoing Expansion of previous humpback whale monitoring |
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Title: Jacksonville Shallow Water Training Range Vessel Surveys and M3R Species Verifications
Location: Jacksonville Shallow Water Training Range (JSWTR) Objectives: Monitor species composition and distribution on JSWTR, support M3R species verifications Methods: Vessel visual surveys, biopsy sampling, satellite-linked tags, photo-ID, passive acoustics Performing Organizations: Duke University, HDR Inc., Naval Undersea Warfare Center Timeline: 2009-2018, 2020-ongoing Funding: FY18 - $261K, FY19 - $60K, FY20 - $97K, FY21 - $253K, FY22 - $116K, FY23 - $279K, FY24 - $315K |
Establish the baseline habitat uses and movement patterns of marine mammals and sea turtles where Navy training and testing activities occur Determine what populations of marine mammals are exposed to Navy training and testing activities Evaluate trends in distribution and abundance of populations that are regularly exposed to Navy training and testing activities |
Ongoing Visual species verifications and classifier development |
|
Title: Green and Kemp's Ridley Turtle Tagging for Availability Bias Estimates
Location: U.S. East Coast Objectives: Assess availability bias and habitat associations of endangered Kemp’s ridley and threatened green sea turtles to improve spatial density models Methods: Telemetry tagging, spatial modelling Performing Organizations: University of Central Florida, CheloniData LLC Timeline: 2024-2027 Funding: FY24 - $345k |
Establish the baseline habitat use, seasonality, and movement patterns of marine mammals and ESA-listed species where Navy training and testing activities occur; Establish the baseline behavioral patterns (foraging, diving, etc.) of marine mammals and ESA-listed species where Navy training and testing activities occur; Estimate the distribution, abundance, and density of marine mammals and ESA-listed species in Navy range complexes, testing ranges, and in specific training and testing areas; Evaluate potential exposure of marine mammals and ESA-listed species to Navy training and testing activities. |
New start - FY24 Tagging to begin summer 2024 |
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Title: Time-lapse Camera Surveys of Pinnipeds in Southeastern Virginia
Location: Lower Chesapeake Bay and Eastern Shore of Virginia Objectives: Document seasonal occurrence, habitat use, and haul-out patterns of seals Methods: Visual surveys Performing Organizations: NAVFAC Atlantic, The Nature Conservancy Timeline: 2019-ongoing Funding: FY19 - $15k, FY20 - $18k, FY21 - $11k, FY22- $34k, FY23- $42k |
Estimate the density of marine mammals and sea turtles in Navy range complexes and in specific training areas Establish the baseline habitat uses and movement patterns of marine mammals and sea turtles where Navy training and testing activities occur Evaluate trends in distribution and abundance of populations that are regularly exposed to sonar and underwater explosives |
Data collection ongoing |
|
Title: Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (AMAPPS)
Location: Northwest Atlantic (Maine to Florida) Objectives: Assess the abundance, distribution, ecology, and behavior of marine mammals, sea turtles, and seabirds in U.S. Atlantic EEZ Methods: Visual surveys, passive acoustic monitoring, tagging Performing Organizations: NOAA Fisheries Northeast and Southeast Fishery Science Centers Timeline: 2010-2024 Funding: $250k annually |
Estimate the density of marine mammals and sea turtles in Navy range complexes and in specific training areas Establish the baseline habitat uses and movement patterns of marine mammals and sea turtles where Navy training and testing activities occur Evaluate trends in distribution and abundance of populations that are regularly exposed to sonar and underwater explosives |
AMAPPS I (2010-2014), AMAPPS II (2015-2019), AMAPPS III (2020-2024) |
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Title: Behavioral Response of Humpback Whales to Vessel Traffic
Location: Chesapeake Bay and Nearshore Mid-Atlantic Objectives: Understand the behavioral response of humpback whales to approaching vessels in the shipping channels at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Methods: Dtagging, satellite tagging, and focal follow observational methods Performing Organizations: Duke University, HDR Inc. Timeline: 2019-2024 Funding: FY19 - $95k, FY20 - $75k, FY21 - $80k, FY22 - $80k, FY23 - $60k |
Establish the baseline behavior (foraging, dive patterns, etc.) of marine mammals where Navy training and testing activities occur Evaluate behavioral responses of marine mammals exposed to Navy training and testing activities |
Field work complete |
|
Title: Pinniped Monitoring in the Northeast
Location: Northeast U.S. (New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island) Objectives: Document habitat use, haul-out patterns, and baseline behavior of seals Methods: Telemetry tagging, visual surveys, remote time-lapse cameras Performing Organizations: NUWC, AMSEAS, NMFS, MMoME Timeline: 2020-2023 Funding: $365K |
Estimate the density of marine mammals and sea turtles in Navy range complexes and in specific training areas Establish the baseline habitat uses and movement patterns of marine mammals and sea turtles where Navy training and testing activities occur Evaluate trends in distribution and abundance of populations that are regularly exposed to sonar and underwater explosives |
Baseline data collection ongoing |
|
Title: Mid-Atlantic Autonomous Passive Acoustic Monitoring
Location: Mid-Atlantic Objectives: Monitor large whale occurrence in the mid-Atlantic Methods: Autonomous real time passive acoustic monitoring Performing Organizations: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, NAVFAC Atlantic Timeline: 2019-ongoing Funding: Funding: FY18- $211k, FY19- $213k, FY20- $357k, FY21- $139k, FY22 - $0, FY23 - $196K, FY24 - $210K |
Establish the baseline habitat uses and movement patterns of marine mammals where Navy training and testing activities occur Establish the baseline behavior (foraging, dive patterns, etc.) of marine mammals where Navy training and testing activities occur |
Ongoing |
