Eco-hydro-acoustic modeling and its use as an EIA tool

Authored by Kate Rossington, Tom Benson, Paul Lepper, Diane Jones

Date Published: 2013

DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.07.024

Sponsors: No sponsors listed

Platforms: No platforms listed

Model Documentation: Other Narrative

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

The effects of anthropogenic underwater noise on marine life is of growing concern and assessment of impacts on marine life is often carried out using predictive underwater noise models to map zones of influence for marine species. However, these models do not predict how a species may react to that noise. In this paper, the results from a modified predictive underwater noise model and a hydrodynamic model are used in an individual based model (IBM) to predict the impacts on cod (Gadhus moruha) from noise generated during a pile driving event at an offshore wind farm in Liverpool Bay, UK. The model included cod which were sensitive to noise and those which were insensitive ('deaf'). Fish movement was from the outer bay into the Dee Estuary, a known feeding ground. The IBM indicated that the cod which could hear took up to 7 days longer to reach their destination than the cod which were deaf. This technique could be used during the consenting process for offshore projects to better understand the potential impact on marine species. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tags

Individual-based model Behavioral-responses Cod gadus-morhua Southern north-sea Marine mammals Goldfish carassius-auratus Temporary threshold shift Atlantic cod Anthropogenic noise Avoidance-behavior