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Multiple-Pulse Sounds and Seals: Results of a Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) Telemetry Study During Wind Farm
Gordon D Hastie1, Debbie J F Russell2,3, Bernie McConnell4
1Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU), Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews Fife, KY16 8LB, UK. gdh10@st-andrews.ac.uk.
Abstract:
Offshore construction and survey techniques can produce pulsed sounds with a high sound pressure level. In coastal waters, the areas in which they are produced are often also used by seals, potentially resulting in auditory damage or behavioral avoidance. Here, we describe a study on harbor seals during a wind farm installation off southeast England. The study used GPS/global system for mobile communication tags on 23 harbor seals that provided distribution and activity data; the closest range of individual seals to piling varied from 6.65 to 46.1 km. Furthermore, the maximum predicted received levels (RLs) at individual seals varied between 146.9 and 169.4 dB re 1 μPa peak to peak.
