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Mariner Update

2024 ACOUSTIC MONITORING (544-5)

On or around June 28, 2024, the Wildlife Conservation Society will be deploying soundtrap acoustic recorders within Lease Area OCS-A 0544 (Vineyard Mid-Atlantic) and other Mid-Atlantic lease areas (Table 1), as part of the NYSERDA-funded Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) project. Seven recorders will be deployed throughout multiple lease areas within the New York Bight. These recorders will monitor the presence of cetaceans, including whales and dolphins, as well as ambient noise, over a period of two years.

In a leave-no-trace design, recorders are bottom mounted and suspended approximately two meters above the seafloor. Recorders will be retrieved after five months and moved to other study locations.

LOCATION(S): 40° 14.5362′ N, W 73° 09.0713′ W

Map of New Jersey coast showing lease areas, marine recorder locations, and sound beam patterns near shore.

Table with site numbers, lease names, companies, and geographic coordinates in degrees and DDM formats.

Table 1 – Recorder locations in seven lease areas

Diagram of oceanographic mooring system with a satellite beacon, sub-surface float, hydrophone, bottom float, and anchor.

Fig. 1 – Soundtrap configuration

ARC marine buoy with a black center and two large orange floats on a light gray background.

For the latest information, please contact:
Crista Bank, Fisheries Manager, Cell: 508-525-0421 • Email: cbank@vineyardoffshore.com
‍Jeannot Smith, Marine Liaison, Cell: 904-613-0134 • Email: jsmith@vineyardoffshore.com
‍Travis Lowery, Fisheries Liaison, Cell: 508-728-4529 • Email: tlowery@vineyardoffshore.com