Whales and Offshore Wind Development

This fact sheet presents potential impacts to whales before, during, and after construction, specifically noise and vessel strike and how US Wind is working to avoid, minimize, and mitigate any potential risks to whales in the Lease area.

Mitigation measures for noise include a pile driving monitoring plan, bubble curtains, a monitored clearance zone prior to pile driving using a combination of visual and acoustic monitoring, and restrictions on number and timing if pile driving events.

Mitigation measures to reduce the risk of vessel strike include the use of Protected Species Observers; vessels remaining 640 feet or greater from any sighted North Atlantic right whale and 328 feet or greater from any sighted cetacean; and specific monitoring for North Atlantic right whales between Nov 1 through Apr 30.

The table below contains the literature relevant to this summary document and will continue to be updated as new literature is added to Tethys.

Title Author Date Content Type Technology Stressor Receptor
Robust real-time detection of right whale upcalls using neural networks on the edge Hyer, M., Anderson, A., Mann, D., Mooney, T., Aoki, N., Jensen, F. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Efficacy of real-time passive acoustic monitoring near wind energy industrial activities for mitigating risks to right whales Baumgartner, M. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Offshore Wind Energy and Whales: TBC Industry Briefing Note The Biodiversity Consultancy Guidance Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind, Floating Offshore Wind Entanglement, Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Offshore wind FAQs Australian Marine Conservation Society Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Attraction, Avoidance, Collision, Displacement, Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Birds, Fish, Invertebrates, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Improving decisionmaking in relation to offshore wind priority knowledge and decision support needs for Australia Australian Marine Conservation Society Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Changes in Flow, Collision, EMF, Entanglement, Noise, Vessel Strike Birds, Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment, Human Dimensions
Glider Surveillance for Near-Real-Time Detection and Spatial Management of North Atlantic Right Whales Indeck, K., Baumgartner, M., Lecavalier, L., Whoriskey, F., Durette-Morin, D., Pettigrew, N., McSweeney, J., Thorne, L., Gallagher, K., Edwards, C., Meyer-Gutbrod, E., Davies, K. Journal Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Entanglement, Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Collaborative Whale Detection Technology Evaluation Virtual Workshop Series Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative for Offshore Wind (RWSC), Marine Technology Society (MTS) Workshop Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Collaborative Whale Detection Technology Evaluation Virtual Workshop Series Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative for Offshore Wind (RWSC), Marine Technology Society (MTS) Workshop Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
National Marine Fisheries Service Biological Opinion National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Lighting, Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Reptiles, Sea Turtles, Human Dimensions, Fisheries
Will wind development adversely impact North Atlantic right whales through an increase in vessel traffic? Bishop, A. Thesis Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Collaborative Whale Detection Technology Evaluation Virtual Workshop Series Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative for Offshore Wind (RWSC), Marine Technology Society (MTS) Workshop Article Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
A management-focused population viability analysis for North Atlantic right whales Runge, M., Linden, D., Hostetler, J., Borggaard, D., Garrison, L., Knowlton, A., Lesage, V., Williams, R., Pace, R. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Entanglement, Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Offshore Wind Energy Development and North Atlantic Right Whales Silber, G., Dangerfield, A., Smith, J., Reeb, D., Levenson, J. Report Wind Energy Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Marine Mammals, Cetaceans
Thornton Bank Offshore Wind Farm Annual Report 2022 Magnus, D. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Collision, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Birds, Ecosystem Processes, Fish, Demersal Fish, Pelagic Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Physical Environment, Sediment Transport, Water Quality, Human Dimensions, Environmental Impact Assessment
Offshore Wind Lease Issuance, Site Characterization, and Site Assessment: Central and Northern California Reeb, D., Schroeder, D. Report Wind Energy, Fixed Offshore Wind Entanglement, Habitat Change, Noise, Vessel Strike Fish, Marine Mammals, Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Reptiles, Sea Turtles
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