Modeling Whale Deaths From Vessel Strikes to Reduce the Risk of Fatality to Endangered Whales

Vessel strikes have been documented around the world and frequently figure as a top human cause of large whale mortality. The shipping lanes in the Santa Barbara Channel, California and nearby waters have some of the highest predicted whale mortality from vessel strikes in the United States waters of the eastern Pacific. Beginning in 2007, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration requested voluntary vessel speed reductions (VSRs) for vessels greater than 300 GT traveling in the Santa Barbara Channel shipping routes to decrease whale mortality from ship strikes. We employed a ship strike model using whale density data and automatic identification system (AIS) vessel data to estimate mortality under several management scenarios. To assess the effect of the VSR on strike mortality, we bootstrapped speeds from vessels greater than 19 m long that transited when no VSR was in place. Finally, we calculated the predicted mortality for hypothetical cooperation scenarios by artificially adding speed caps post-hoc to real vessel transits. For 2012–2018, we estimated that in our study area on average during summer/fall (June–November) 8.9 blue, 4.6 humpback, and 9.7 fin whales were killed from ship strikes each year (13–26% greater than previously estimated). We evaluated winter/spring (January–April) humpback mortality for the first time, resulting in an estimate of 5.7 deaths on average per year. Poor cooperation with the VSR led to low (5% maximum) to no reductions in the estimated number of strike mortalities. Evaluating potential scenarios showed that if 95% cooperation occurred in the lanes, whale deaths there would decrease by 22–26%. Adding VSRs with similar cooperation levels at the northern end of the Santa Barbara Channel and south of Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary could decrease estimated strike mortalities in those areas by 30%. If VSRs were added and cooperation reached 95% there and in the lanes, we estimate a 21–29% decrease in vessel strike mortalities could be attained relative to estimated mortality in the entire study area. To decrease the vessel strike related whale mortalities in this region, we recommend expanding the VSR areas and increasing cooperation voluntarily, or considering mandatory speed limits if desired cooperation levels cannot otherwise be met.

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Estimating effectiveness of speed reduction measures for decreasing whale-strike mortality in a high-risk region

Endangered Species Research ◽

10.3354/esr01056 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 ◽

pp. 145-166

Author(s):

RC Rockwood ◽

J Adams ◽

G Silber ◽

J Jahncke

Keyword(s):

San Francisco ◽

Humpback Whale ◽

Humpback Whales ◽

Mitigation Measures ◽

Automatic Identification ◽

Identification System ◽

Blue Whale ◽

Speed Reduction ◽

Ship Strike ◽

Expected Mortality

Recent estimates of blue (Balaenoptera musculus) and humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) whale ship-strike deaths on the US west coast are above the Potential Biological Removal limit determined by the National Marine Fisheries Service. Beginning in 2015, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration requested voluntary Vessel Speed Reductions (VSR) in the designated shipping routes off San Francisco, California, USA, in order to decrease whale mortality from ship strikes. We applied a ship strike model based on whale density and Automatic Identification System (AIS) vessel data. We bootstrapped speeds from vessels that transited when no VSR was in place to assess the effect of the VSR on strike mortality rates. Finally, we calculated the expected mortality for hypothetical compliance scenarios by programmatically imposing speed caps. Average predicted mortality for the region was 2.7 blue whales and 7.0 humpback whales in a 4 month period. Compared to years prior to the VSR (2012-2014), vessel speeds during the VSR were slower. This lowered blue whale deaths within the shipping lanes by 11-13% and humpback whale deaths by 9-10% in 2016-2017. If 95% of mariners adhered to recommended 10 knot (kn) limits in the shipping lanes alone, we predicted twice as many blue whale and 3 times as many humpback whale deaths would be avoided relative to current adherence. Adding a 10 kn speed limit (with 95% cooperation) at the ends of each of the lanes would result in about 5- and 4-fold reductions in blue whale and humpback whale mortality, respectively, relative to current practices. Our approach can evaluate ship strikes and mitigation measures for whale populations around the globe.

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MAPPING SHIP TRAFFIC IN NARROW CHANNELS WITH BENDS USING AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM (AIS) DATA

Coastal Engineering Proceedings ◽

10.9753/icce.v36.risk.14 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 14

Author(s):

Jeffrey A. Oskamp ◽

Eric D. Smith

Keyword(s):

Open Water ◽

The United States ◽

Coast Guard ◽

Vessel Density ◽

Automatic Identification ◽

Identification System ◽

Narrow Channels ◽

Automatic Identification System ◽

Ship Traffic ◽

Commercial Sources

Coastal, port, and waterway projects often require an understanding of the waterborne traffic in the site vicinity. Knowledge of what types of vessels transit near a project site, along with the vessel speeds and typical transit times/paths, can be valuable information to an engineer. Often the best available information for vessel traffic can be obtained from Automatic Identification System (AIS) data. AIS data includes information about the vessel type, position, course, and speed (IMO, 2014). Historic AIS data is available from a variety of free and commercial sources. Inside the United States, a large quantity of AIS data is available freely to the public from the United Statesâ€™ Coast Guard datasets. AIS data can be summarized in a variety of tabular and graphic formats. For spatial planning and visualization, an intuitive format for communicating vessel traffic to non-technical audiences is a vessel density map. Straightforward methods are available (BOEM/NOAA, 2015) for producing vessel density maps in relatively open water and away from sharp channel bends. This paper addresses challenges with preparing vessel maps in areas with narrow channels and around bends.

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Response-Specific Scalp Distributions in Deception Detection and ERP Correlates of Psychopathic Personality Traits

Journal of Psychophysiology ◽

10.1027/0269-8803.18.1.13 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 13-26 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Antoinette R. Miller ◽

J. Peter Rosenfeld

Keyword(s):

Deception Detection ◽

Event Related Potential ◽

Psychopathic Personality ◽

P300 Amplitude ◽

Group Differences ◽

Post Hoc Analysis ◽

P300 Component ◽

Psychopathic Personality Inventory ◽

Post Hoc ◽

First Time

Abstract University students were screened using items from the Psychopathic Personality Inventory and divided into high (n = 13) and low (n = 11) Psychopathic Personality Trait (PPT) groups. The P300 component of the event-related potential (ERP) was recorded as each group completed a two-block autobiographical oddball task, responding honestly during the first (Phone) block, in which oddball items were participants' home phone numbers, and then feigning amnesia in response to approximately 50% of items in the second (Birthday) block in which oddball items were participants' birthdates. Bootstrapping of peak-to-peak amplitudes correctly identified 100% of low PPT and 92% of high PPT participants as having intact recognition. Both groups demonstrated malingering-related P300 amplitude reduction. For the first time, P300 amplitude and topography differences were observed between honest and deceptive responses to Birthday items. No main between-group P300 effects resulted. Post-hoc analysis revealed between-group differences in a frontally located post-P300 component. Honest responses were associated with late frontal amplitudes larger than deceptive responses at frontal sites in the low PPT group only.

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