"The R2 approaches a group of 4 sperm whales for a tagging attempt. WHOI scientists Alex Shorter and Mark Johnson are in position for the tagging attempt."

When people say pollution, what usually come to mind are chemicals in the water, air, and land. But what about something like noise?

Your friend may be saying something important, but all you can hear is traffic noise. The rock concert was great, but you have this strange ringing in your ears the day after, maybe even a headache. All the noise in the office - you just cannot concentrate and now it’s making you quite irritated. Noise can be a type of pollution. “Bad noise” can mask important sounds and communication. Excessive noise levels can damage hearing, sometimes for a short time; or perhaps permanently. Extremely loud sounds can cause injury and perhaps even death. But, the most likely effect of noise on people and animals is behavioral changes. The concept of “noise pollution” is now fairly common, along with many standards for safe noise levels in work places. Look around some day at the number of ear protection devices at construction sites and airports.

Now, something else to think about: Polluted water from chemicals, red tides, sewage, or other substances is something everyone is familiar with. What about underwater noise pollution? There is sound underwater and many marine animals rely more on hearing than seeing. A large ship “flying” overhead may be as loud and irritating to whales as a low flying jet is to you. In some ways it may be quite different. Many whales and dolphins use sound to locate objects (echolocation) and navigate underwater – another form of “seeing.” Perhaps loud manmade noise to them would be more like irritating sounds and a thick fog to us. No one really knows exactly how manmade noise affects a whale or dolphin, but there is concern that increasing levels of manmade underwater noise can be a problem to marine animals.

"A sperm whale blowing as it rests at the surface."

With this concern in mind, the MMS has funded numerous studies on the effects of oil and gas industry noise on whales in Alaska and Pacific waters. A 1999 workshop on cetaceans (whales and dolphins) in the Gulf of Mexico and environmental concerns raised the issue of underwater noise, particularly from seismic boat operations. On the recommendation of a panel of experts, the MMS, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and Office of Naval Research (ONR) planned a new research program in the Gulf of Mexico to measure underwater noise levels and attempt to determine how marine mammals are being affected. The animal of primary concern was identified as the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). This endangered species resides in parts of the Gulf, including a region off the Mississippi River delta where industry deepwater platforms and seismic surveys also occur. In a rapid response to this recommendation, the MMS and NMFS expanded an existing interagency agreement (IA) to conduct this pilot study.

"NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter approaches a pair of sperm whales. The 224-foot research vessel was built in 1989 as the Navy anti-submarine ship, Relentless. It was transferred to NOAA in March 1993, converted to civilian use and commissioned in 1998 at Pascagoula. Designed for 'silent running,' the vessel is an ideal platform for acoustic research and now tracks whales rather than submarines." Photo by Wayne Hoggard, NMFS.

MMS’s cooperative research with NMFS and ONR began on June 27th by conducting studies on sperm whales and deepwater acoustics in the Gulf of Mexico. A month-long pilot study cruise was conducted from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association’s (NOAA) research vessel Gordon Gunter. The cruise was successful, far exceeding expectations. In the words of Carol Roden, NMFS’s Field Party Chief (FPC) in charge of coordinating scientific efforts on board the Gunter, “When I think of all that we have accomplished in the last four weeks, it really is phenomenal.” The cruise was designed to test a variety of new equipment and research methods directed at studying sperm whales in the Gulf of Mexico and also to characterize the acoustic environment they inhabit.

While increasing noise in the marine environment and the potential to damage marine mammal hearing and/or interfere with crucial vocal communications are valid reasons for concern, the information to scale those concerns to actual effects is lacking. NMFS’s task is to determine what levels and types of underwater noise are harmful to marine mammals.

"The Relentless II (R2) follows a tagged whale within sight of the deep water production platform URSA. The R2 is 21-foot research vessel designed and built for whale research. Launched from the Gunter, the MMS boat is used for close approaches to whales for tag attachment, biopsy samples and ID photographs." Photo by Bill Lang, MMS.

MMS must determine if offshore industry noise and marine seismic operations represent a threat to marine mammals and, if so, means to mitigate those effects. Both agencies are hindered by little data.

Marine acoustic studies are complex; even more so are studies to determine acoustic effects on whales and dolphins. With help from the ONR, an MMS-NMFS management team assembled a research group that includes scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Oregon State University and international experts from Oxford and Durham Universities in the United Kingdom and Ireland’s University College at Cork. A custom-designed, 21-foot vessel, the Relentless II (R2), was built and tested for close and safe approaches to sperm whales. NMFS purchased a custom-built acoustic array and NOAA engineers fabricated a special winch to deploy the array from the stern of the Gordon Gunter. New computer and recording equipment were installed onboard and experimental whale-tracking software programs were loaded. The WHOI research team brought acoustic tags (ONR-funded) that can measure sound levels and behavioral aspects of the swimming and diving of the whales to which the tags are attached.

“The tagging team prepares for another day of locating and tagging sperm whales from the R2.” Photo from NMFS.

While this is an impressive list of equipment and researchers, the real key to success was teamwork. The NOAA crew and “resident” NMFS scientific party were the baseline components for success in the field. A new operations concept was introduced that required coordination between a visual team on the flying bridge, an acoustics team in the computer room, the R2 team operating up to several nautical miles away from the Gunter, and the NOAA bridge command. Objectives of the cruise were relatively simple in concept – test the acoustic tags, develop acoustic survey and tracking methods, test tissue biopsy sample methods, and develop protocols for behavioral assessment and photo identification of individual sperm whales. The expectation and the reason for a “pilot cruise” were that new equipment, multidisciplinary research staff, and new concepts for shipboard operations would require a full cruise to perfect.

“Dr. Jonathan Gordon (University of St. Andrews), a world-renowned expert on sperm whales, adjusts a video camera mounted on a set of 25X ‘big eyes.’ Dr. Bill Lang (MMS) searches for whales through a second pair of big eyes. These elaborate binoculars are key instruments for marine mammal visual surveys.” Photo from NMFS.

Tags were placed on six whales. Three of those tags stayed attached to the whales long enough to collect useful data. One group of sperm whales was acoustically tracked for approximately 60 hours, a key accomplishment for future research. Considerable acoustic data were collected in areas near and away from deepwater platforms. New estimates on sperm whale numbers will be derived from the combined visual and acoustic survey efforts. Approximately 50 photographs of sperm whale tails were shot and 40 samples of whale tissue collected for DNA analyses. The data collection efforts were outstanding and numerous publications are expected.

“An ONR acoustic tag attached to a sperm whale from a 30-foot long carbon fiber pole on the R2. The tag has three suction cups and will remain attached for up to four hours. The released tag in located by radio signals and recovered - sound recordings and movement data are analyzed by a WHOI research team lead by Dr. Peter Tyack.”	“Three scientists, Dr. Aaron Thode (MIT), Dr. Dave Mellinger (PMEL), and Sarah Stienessen (NMFS), listen to sperm whales’ clicks and track the whales’ location from the acoustics lab aboard the Gordon Gunter. The noises from the sperm whales are detected by an acoustic array as it is pulled through the water behind the Gunter.”

One immediate result of note is “Big Hal.” Virtually all sperm whales observed in the Gulf of Mexico are females, calves, and immature whale groups. Hal is a large male (confirmed by DNA analysis), observed and photographed in the DeSoto Canyon region during the final days of the cruise. "Sperm whale flukes. Sperm whales will lift their tail or 'fluke-up' before a deep dive. Each whale has a distinctive tail shape with scars and notches that allow individuals to be catalogued and identified by matches of fluke photographs. Photo ID's are an important tool to determine if the same whales remain or return to certain locations or travel to different sites." Photo by NMFS.

"Small tissue samples for DNA analyses are obtained using a biopsy dart fired at close-range from a modified rifle. The R2 approaches a whale with NMFS scientist Wayne Hoggard on the bow with the dart-gun, and University of Kansas photo ID expert Charlotte Cates ready to take photos of the darted whale. Ideally, the whale will 'fluke-up' - a photograph of the tail (flukes) can be used to identify individuals." Photo by Bill Lang, MMS.

Currently, MMS and NMFS scientists are working on plans for continuing sperm whale and acoustic studies in the year 2001.

"Sperm whale pilot study Leg 1 scientific party: Dr. Jonathan Gordon, University of St. Andrews, UK Dr. Dave Mellinger, PMEL Dr. Aaron Thode, MIT Sarah Stienessen, NMFS Dan Englehaupt, University of Durham, UK Sarah L. Tsoflias, MMS Alex Shorter, WHOI  Wayne Hoggard, NMFS  Carol Roden, NMFS  Carrie Hubard, NMFS  Charlotte Cates, University of Kansas  Dr. Bill Lang, MMS  Tony Martinez, NMFS  Mark Johnson, WHOI  Dr. Peter Tyack, WHOI"