Directional hydrophone clusters reveal evasive responses of small cetaceans to disturbance during construction at offshore windfarms.

ABSTRACT: Mitigation measures to disperse marine mammals prior to pile-driving include acoustic deterrent devices and piling soft starts, but their efficacy remains uncertain. We developed a self-contained portable hydrophone cluster to detect small cetacean movements from the distributions of bearings to detections. Using an array of clusters within 10 km of foundation pile installations, we tested the hypothesis that harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) respond to mitigation measures at offshore windfarm sites by moving away. During baseline periods, porpoise movements were evenly distributed in all directions. By contrast, animals showed significant directional movement away from sound sources during acoustic deterrent device use and piling soft starts. We demonstrate that porpoises respo

SUBMITTER: Graham IM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9845968 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature