Download or read book Implications of Fisheries Closures on the Soundscape in Areas Used by Southern Resident Killer Whales SRKW written by Rianna Burnham and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Fisheries management measures aim to increase fish stocks; here the potential for an additional acoustic benefit to the Endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW, Orcinus orca) by lessening disturbance was assessed. Reductions in ambient broadband noise (10 Hz to 100 kHz) were seen generally during fisheries management actions. Recordings made by moorings in western Juan de Fuca Strait showed the greatest decreases in sound levels. For all sites the changes in the SRKW communication band (500 Hz to 15 kHz) seemed to follow seasonal patterns of wind speed, whereas the echolocation frequency range SRKW (15-100 kHz) and higher frequency sound ranges showed an increasing trend from pre- to during to post-measure periods concurrent to increased recreational vessel presence. Reductions seen in Haro Strait and Boundary Pass (~0.5 dB in median sound levels) may be attributable to the voluntary vessel slowdown in place through the summer"--Abstract, page iii.

Download or read book The Effects of Salmon Fisheries on Southern Resident Killer Whales written by Independent Science Panel of the Bilateral Scientific Workshop Process to Evaluate the Effects of Salmon Fisheries on Southern Resident Killer Whales and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Evaluation of the Scientific Evidence to Inform the Probability of Effectiveness of Mitigation Measures in Reducing Shipping related Noise Levels Received by Southern Resident Killer Whales written by Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Effects of Anthropogenic Noise on the Vocal Behavior of Southern Resident Killer Whales Orcinus Orca written by Jennifer Beissinger Tennessen and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Evaluation of the Effects on Underwater Noise Levels from Shifting Vessel Traffic Away from Southern Resident Killer Whale Foraging Areas in the Strait of Juan de Fuca in 2018 written by Svein Vagle and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Between August 20 and October 31, 2018 the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority andTransport Canada led a voluntary program where all outbound deep sea vessels and inshore vessels (tugs) in a portion of the Strait of Juan de Fuca were requested to shift their outbound tracks southwards, and further away from areas of critical importance to the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) population. The main goal of this study was to investigate the efficacy of lateral vessel displacement to reduce the impact of underwater vessel noise on SRKW at three locations off Port Renfrew, Jordan River and Sooke"--Abstract, page iv.

Download or read book Assessing Southern Resident Killer Whale Orcinus Orca Prey Abundance written by Erin Leigh Strange and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Predator-prey dynamics and their ecological drivers have absorbed the interest of population ecologists since models were first developed describing the cyclical nature of predator-prey populations in a static framework. Empirical data has demonstrated that species life histories evolve over ecological timescales in response to changes in broad ecological processes or specific changes in population densities and/or spatial distributions. Anthropomorphic environmental impacts have influenced ecological processes on a broad scale and in many cases impacted predator-prey relationships. Southern Resident killer whale, Orcinus orca, and its preferred prey, Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawystcha, provide an opportunity to evaluate human impacts from Chinook salmon ocean harvest and hatchery production to the predator-prey dynamic between these co-evolved species. This is particularly important when considering the management of ocean fisheries and hatcheries that support those fisheries relative to the recovery of the Southern Resident killer whale population, a federally-endangered marine mammal species. The purpose of this study was to: 1) investigate the impacts of modifications in Chinook salmon ocean harvest and hatchery production inputs on their abundance as a prey species for Southern Resident killer whale; and 2) evaluate how the Southern Resident killer whale population responds to the subsequent prey availability. Time-series (1984-2011) Chinook salmon terminal run (freshwater harvest plus spawning population) and ocean fishery harvest data from British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California, were analyzed under twelve scenarios involving different combinations of ocean fishery harvest and hatchery production. Chinook salmon terminal run results were used as input to the Southern Resident killer whale population dynamics model to evaluate the whale population response to varying levels of prey availability. Two covariates were chosen for the Chinook salmon time-series analysis: reduction in ocean fishery harvest and reduction in hatchery production. The primary response variable chosen for this analysis was Chinook salmon terminal run, although ocean fishery harvest and Chinook salmon total abundance were also evaluated. Linear regression was used to evaluate the influence that reductions in ocean harvest and hatchery production have on the relative absolute change in Chinook salmon terminal run, fishery harvest, and total abundance between the status quo and each scenario. A Mann-Whitney Test was used to determine trends between early and late periods in the Chinook salmon time-series. Results of this study indicate significant interactions between covariate and response variables, revealing that reduction in ocean fishery harvest explains the amount of Chinook salmon in the terminal run to a weak degree, while the reduction in hatchery production explains the amount of Chinook salmon in the terminal run to a moderate degree. Although percent reduction calculations showed decreasing ocean harvest as hatchery production decreased, the linear regression showed that percent reduction in hatchery production does not explain the amount of Chinook salmon ocean fishery harvest. The ocean fishery harvest reduction percentage weakly explains the Chinook salmon fishery harvest. In addition, reduction in hatchery production explains the total abundance of Chinook salmon in the ocean to a weak degree, while ocean harvest reduction explains the total abundance of Chinook salmon in the ocean to a moderate degree. Results also indicate a significant decrease in fishery impacts from an early time period (1984-1997) to a late time period (1998-2011), while no significant difference was demonstrated between the two timeframes for terminal run and total abundance. Southern Resident killer whale modeling results revealed that all of the Chinook salmon scenarios (terminal run data) resulted in a positive Southern Resident killer whale population growth response. However, statistical analysis between scenarios indicated no significant difference in the Southern Resident killer whale population growth over a 10-year projection. These results have value to fishery managers with regard to potential modifications to Chinook salmon ocean fishing harvest and hatchery production that may result in a greater prey base for the Southern resident killer whale population. Identification of the Chinook salmon populations most important as prey to Southern resident killer whale could focus natural/wild Chinook salmon population restoration and hatchery reform efforts with the target of increasing the numbers of Chinook salmon produced in those important watersheds. Chinook salmon management decisions directed at changing the focus of hatchery operations to support naturally spawning populations and improving freshwater habitats to support natural/wild spawning Chinook salmon populations may provide more prey over the long-term for Southern resident killer whale than management actions directed at further restrictions on the commercial ocean Chinook salmon fishery. However, based on prior research (Ward et al. 2013) and the results of this study, Chinook salmon management practice involving a complete closure of the ocean fishery while maintaining current levels of hatchery production may produce a higher likelihood that the Southern Resident killer whale population would reach their recovery target.

Download or read book Exposure to a Mixture of Toxic Chemicals written by Teresa Mishael Mongillo and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 107 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The distinct population segment (DPS) of Southern Resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on 18 November 2005. The Southern Residents regularly occur in the inland waters of Washington and British Columbia during late spring, summer, and early fall. Less is known about their movements in the winter, but they occur in coastal waters from California to southeast Alaska. Many studies have indicated that they primarily consume Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Several major threats were identified--both in the final determination to list the Southern Resident killer whale DPS as endangered, and in the Southern Resident killer whale recovery plan--one of which was exposure to high levels of organochlorine contaminants and increasing levels of emerging contaminants. The primary objectives of this Technical Memorandum are to review the contaminants that may pose a risk to the Southern Resident killer whales and to discuss the health implications of exposure to these contaminants. In this report, we focus on three persistent organic pollutants (POPs): polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites. We focus on these three POPs because they are found at relatively high levels in the whales and may cause adverse health effects. We also describe what is currently known about the whales' geographic distribution and diet, as well as contaminant levels measured in their prey. We review the factors that influence contaminant bioaccumulation and the development of biomarkers for exposure and toxicity. Lastly, we highlight data gaps and make recommendations for future studies"--Executive Summary. [doi:10.7289/V5/TM-NWFSC-135 (http://dx.doi.org/10.7289/V5/TM-NWFSC-135)]

Download or read book Sound Exposure and Southern Resident Killer Whales Orcinus Orca written by Marla M. Holt and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 59 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Eavesdropping on Killer Whales written by and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The widespread loss of apex consumers in marine, terrestrial, and freshwater ecosystems throughout the world has precipitated profound trophic cascades and switches to different ecological states. However, conserving top predators can deliver broad biodiversity benefits and improve ecosystem resiliency. Effective conservation and management policy is predicated on a species’ distribution and abundance in a given area and time. In this dissertation, I provide new insight into killer whale (Orcinus orca) distribution, vocal behavior, and abundance in the Gulf of Alaska using passive acoustic monitoring and advance long-term monitoring capacity for this species. First, I describe the year-round spatiotemporal distribution and daily acoustic residency patterns of southern Alaska resident (fish-eating) and two populations of transient (mammal-eating) killer whales. I found distinct seasonal patterns across locations for each genetically distinct population and discovered that both resident and transient killer whales used the coastal monitoring areas more extensively than previously known—including in winter. Second, I estimated resident and transient killer whale calling rates, a prerequisite to acoustic abundance estimation. I found that the mean calling rate for southern Alaska resident (fish-eating) killer whales was consistent across space, time, ambient noise level, which pod was calling, and the presence of other pods. Gulf of Alaska transient (mammal-eating) killer whale calling rates were higher than resident’s and differed across locations. AT1 transients (mammal-eating) produced fewer calls more rapidly than Gulf of Alaska transients, and their mean rate was stable across spatiotemporal factors. Although transients call less often than residents, I found that once vocalizing, they do so at a higher rate. Finally, I estimated and modeled the year-round daily acoustic abundance of resident and transient killer whales across distinct areas in the Gulf of Alaska and developed Bayesian time series models to describe seasonal patterns and predict future abundance. Acoustic abundance estimates for the southern Alaska resident and Gulf of Alaska transient killer whales matched expectations from visual studies. I established distinct seasonal abundance patterns across areas, and acoustic monitoring enabled killer whale abundance estimation across a greater spatiotemporal extent than other methods. This work is critical for an accurate understanding of killer whales’ top-down forcing effects in the marine ecosystem, as well as to inform conservation and management policy for this federally protected species.

Download or read book Recovery Plan for Southern Resident Killer Whales Orcinus Orca written by and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 251 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This plan identifies a range of actions that will contribute to recovery of Southern Resident killer whales. Many of these actions will have a direct effect on killer whale habitat, but they will also help restore and improve a range of habitats, species and ecosystem processes. Although the recovery plan is focused on Southern Residents, the proposed actions will benefit many native species and natural communities. The plan refers to significant efforts on local, state and regional levels to address recovery of other species (particularly salmon), clean up of Puget Sound and management of local resources. Salmon recovery programs throughout Washington, Oregon and California as well as in Canada identify goals that will benefit the entire ecosystem. The Puget Sound Partnership provides a comprehensive approach to cleaning up inland waters of Puget Sound. There are numerous local efforts that are also focused on improving the health of the ecosystem such as the Marine Stewardship Area established in San Juan County. Over time, each of these programs should improve the overall health and biodiversity of the ecosystem. This plan provides background information on Southern Resident killer whale life history and status, and existing protective measures. Recovery goals and criteria are provided along with recovery actions, research and monitoring tasks in a narrative outline. Priorities and costs for the measures are provided in an implementation table"--Introduction.

Download or read book Species in the Spotlight written by United States. National Marine Fisheries Service and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Modeling southern resident killer whale population dynamics with chinook salmon abundance and implications for conservation written by John Rohrback and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Areas of Elevated Risk for Vessel related Physical and Acoustic Impacts in Southern Resident Killer Whale Orcinus Orca Critical Habitat written by Sheila J. Thornton and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book International Trade Noise Pollution and Killer Whales written by M. Scott Taylor and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Orcinus Orca is the world's largest predator, and simultaneously a significant tourist asset and cultural icon for much of the Pacific Northwest. In the past two decades, the Southern Resident Killer whale (SRKW) population has declined by more than 25 percent, putting them at risk of extinction. The cause of this decline is hotly debated. This paper employs novel data, an innovative noise pollution model, and quasi-experimental methods borrowed from environmental economics to solve this puzzle. We find consistent evidence that vessel noise pollution from international shipping has lowered fertility and raised the mortality of the SRKW significantly. Had noise pollution remained at its pre-1998 levels, the SRKW population would be 30% larger. Noise pollution is a growing threat to marine mammals worldwide.

Download or read book Southern Resident Killer Whales and Snake River Dams written by and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 4 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Patterns of Seasonal Occurrence of Sympatric Killer Whale Lineages in Waters Off Southern Vancouver Island and Washington State as Determined by Passive Acoustic Monitoring written by Amalis Riera and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Killer whales inhabiting coastal waters of the northeastern Pacific are listed under the Canadian Species at Risk Act, which requires the identification of critical habitats for the recovery of their populations. Little is known about their distribution during the winter and what areas are important for their survival during these months. Passive acoustic monitoring is a valuable complementary method to traditional visual and photographic surveys although it has seldom been used to study killer whales and there are limitations in practice. There is a need to develop tools and protocols to maximize the efficiency of such studies. In this thesis, long-term acoustic data collected with autonomous recorders were analyzed 1) to assess the performance of two types of analysis (Manual and Long Term Spectral Averages) for detecting and identifying killer whale calls and to compare the effects of using two different duty cycles (1/3 and 2/3); and 2) to investigate the seasonal occurrence of different killer whale populations at two sites off the west coasts of Vancouver Island and Washington: Swiftsure Bank and Cape Elizabeth. Both the use of Long Term Spectral Averages and a lower duty cycle resulted in a decrease in call detection and resolution of call identification, leading to underestimations of the amount of time the whales spent at the site. A compromise between a lower resolution data processing method and a higher duty cycle (and vice-versa) is therefore suggested for future passive acoustic monitoring studies of killer whales. Killer whale calls were detected on 186 days at Swiftsure Bank and on 39 days at Cape Elizabeth. The seasonal occurrence of killer whales at Swiftsure Bank highlights its importance as a killer whale hotspot, with year-round presence of Southern Residents and British Columbia Transients, Northern Residents in spring and fall, and California Transients on rare occasions. These results support the expansion of Southern Resident's critical habitat to include Swiftsure Bank. Temporal habitat partitioning between Resident populations was observed at Cape Elizabeth, with Southern Residents detected from January through June and Northern Residents from July to September. These results show that Northern Residents use the southern parts of their range more frequently than previously thought. Both Transient populations were frequently detected throughout the year, suggesting habitat overlapping.

Download or read book Endangered and Threatened Species Designation of Critical Habitat for Southern Resident Killer Whale Us National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Regulation Noaa 2018 Edition written by The Law Library and published by Independently Published. This book was released on 2019 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Law Library presents the complete text of the Endangered and Threatened Species - Designation of Critical Habitat for Southern Resident Killer Whale (US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Regulation) (NOAA) (2018 Edition). Updated as of May 29, 2018 We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), issue a final rule designating critical habitat for the Southern Resident killer whale (Orcinus orca) distinct population segment (DPS). Three specific areas are designated, (1) the Summer Core Area in Haro Strait and waters around the San Juan Islands; (2) Puget Sound; and (3) the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which comprise approximately 2,560 square miles (6,630 sq km) of marine habitat. We considered the economic impacts and impacts to national security, and concluded the benefits of exclusion of 18 military sites, comprising approximately 112 square miles (291 sq km), outweighed the benefits of inclusion because of national security impacts. This ebook contains: - The complete text of the Endangered and Threatened Species - Designation of Critical Habitat for Southern Resident Killer Whale (US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Regulation) (NOAA) (2018 Edition) - A dynamic table of content linking to each section - A table of contents in introduction presenting a general overview of the structure