Field Methods
NEFSC Passive Acoustic Branch (PAB) deploys recorders throughout the western Atlantic to acoustically monitor local species, primarily the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. Monitoring the population status of NARW is a top priority for NEFSC’s Protected Species Division (PSD).
We partner with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Maine Department of Marine Resources (MEDMR), the Navy, and NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) to collect acoustic data using bottom-mounted moorings (see right figure). NEFSC PAB executes fieldwork to retrieve moorings and redeploy at designated sites. Our primary turnaround sites are located in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS), offshore Gulf of Maine, and southern New England. We occasionally deploy moorings belonging to collaborative research groups (ex. PMEL), which are not included in the mooring count for each fieldwork trip outlined below. Mooring counts will fluctuate as we decide to deploy more or less at certain sites.
Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS)
Southern New England
- Turnaround: 5 months
- Charter: F/V Saints and Angels
- Trip duration: 5 - 6 days
- Number of moorings (as of 12/24): 19
- S&E protocols
Southern New England deployments are focused around Cox’s Ledge and Nantucket ShoalsGulf of Maine (Offshore)
- Turnaround: 5 months
- Charter: F/V Saints and Angels
- Trip Duration: 3 - 4 days
- Number of moorings (as of 12/24): 12
- GOM protocols
Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species - AMAPPS
AMAPPS surveys are a multi-agency effort aimed at assessing abundance, distribution, ecology, and behavior of marine mammals, sea turtles, and seabirds throughout the U.S. Atlantic. NEFSC PAM researchers participate in AMAPPS surveys using towed array sampling methods. Using a towed array involves dragging recording devices behind a ship and matching acoustic analysis with real-time on-deck visual observers for ground-truthing purposes. For more information on the AMAPPS effort, see NOAA’s AMAPPS page.