[KWlocate] Helicopter noise study at Lime Kiln

[Kenneth Balcomb III]

Hi all, I provided NOAA film footage of a USCG helicopter hazing SRKW's years ago, and it was evident that hovering over the whales at fifty feet was sufficient to move the whales several hundred feet away from the prop wash. The method could be effective for brief small scale changes in SRKW direction, but unlikely to deter them from large scale movements - such as following a school of salmon in Haro Strait. The 53C or its Canadian equivalent might be more effective at the latter. The capture operations of yesteryear demonstrated that small explosives and really obnoxious high speed directed vessels could also be effective. But, the problem we face is that with whales spread out over tens of square miles in search of scarce salmon, which whale's direction do we wish to change?
Ken
On Oct 29, 2014, at 10:46 PM, Scott Veirs <scott at beamreach.org> wrote:

> Hi all,
> 
> Heads up that tomorrow you may hear helicopter noises on the Lime Kiln live hydrophone stream -- http://orcasound.net/lk
> 
> Beam Reach is doing some pro bono work for NOAA tomorrow Thursday 12:00-13:30 at Lime Kiln in collaboration with The Whale Museum and WA State Parks.  NOAA wants to know how loud the Port Angeles USCG helicopter is underwater to determine if it might be a useful tool in hazing Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs) as part of an oil spill response plan.  Val and I plan to make some calibrated recordings as the helicopter hovers or passes at different elevations and speeds.
> 
> Since SRKWs have been frequenting Puget Sound this month, I'd like to ask for your help tonight and tomorrow morning in providing me with updated locations for SRKWs.  We plan to place observers to watch for marine mammals approaching from north or south and will suspend the overflight if the whales get within a kilometer radius centered on the Lime Kiln hydrophone.
> 
> Please email locate at orcasphere.net and/or scott at beamreach.org if you hear any calls, clicks, or whistles.
> 
> Happy listening,
> Scott
> 
> -- 
> Beam Reach | http://beamreach.org
> Marine Science and Sustainability School
> 206.251.5554 | scott at beamreach.org
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