Integrating Ocean Observing Data into Habitat-Based Models of Cetacean Density for the Central North Pacific and US Atlantic

Elizabeth A. Becker, NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, ebecker@cox77.net
Karin A. Forney, NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, karin.forney@noaa.gov
David G. Foley, NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, dave.foley@noaa.gov (Presenter)
Jay Barlow, NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, jay.barlow@noaa.gov
Ben D. Best, Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University, bdbest@gmail.com
Jason J. Roberts, Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University, jason.roberts@duke.edu
Andre M. Boustany, Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University, andre.boustany@duke.edu
Pat N. Halpin, Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University, phalpin@duke.edu

Remotely sensed imagery provides key inputs for predicting dynamic habitats to aid in planning human activities around minimizing impacts on endangered species. Here we describe a multi-lab effort spanning two ocean basins which enhances the resolution, consistency, and derived inputs for cetacean density modeling. Few systematic surveys have been conducted in the central North Pacific to assess the abundance of cetaceans, and density estimates are available only for large geographic areas (e.g., U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone around Hawaii). End-users, such as the U.S. Navy, have relied on these broad-scale estimates of animal density to assess potential impacts from their operations on protected species; however, operational areas are typically smaller than the broad regions used for density estimation, and impact assessment is therefore imprecise. In this study, we have developed finer-scale, habitat-based density models for 10 cetacean species using satellite-derived ocean observations and cetacean survey data collected within the central North Pacific during 1997-2006. Dynamic habitat variables included sea surface temperature, sea surface chlorophyll, sea surface height root-mean-square, and average primary productivity. The model-based abundance estimates around Hawaii performed well, falling within the 95% confidence limits of previously published line-transect estimates. The new density models have been provided to the Navy for their central Pacific assessment and planning, improving their ability to mitigate adverse impacts on protected species in this region. Besides military exercises, offshore energy projects also require models of endangered species distributions to better plan for environmental compliance. Habitat-based cetacean models for the US Atlantic are being developed to predict density (and not just presence) using similar methods to those applied in the Pacific. Preliminary results suggest a new suite of derived oceanographic inputs, such as an improved sea surface temperature frontal index and a mesoscale eddy detection algorithm, to be of similar importance as traditional variables (SST, chlorophyll).

Presentation Type:  Poster

Session:  Science in Support of Decision Making   (Wed 10:00 AM)

Associated Project(s): 

• Halpin, Pat: Integrating Ocean Observing Data to Enhance Protected Species Spatial Decision Support Systems ...details

Poster Location ID: 157