Marine Resources Assessment for the Marianas Operating ... - SPREP

AUGUST 2005 FINAL REPORT
• Support the development of a database containing all the Marianas MRA study area EFH data and
information, which would provide user-friendly access to all the EFH data and maps. Cost: Low to
Moderate. Priority: 1.
• Support the development of a custom GIS-based application designed to provide functionally to the use
of EFH data and use the EFH database proposed in the above recommendation as its base. This
custom, stand-alone application would not require the purchase of any additional software or hardware
and would allow for easy use of the EFH data in many different environments. Cost: Moderate. Priority:
2.
Update the map and information relevant to MMAs (Figure 5-4). When this MRA report was
prepared, the criteria for MPA designation were in development by the National Marine Protected
Area Center, with 2005 as the estimated time of completion. The MMA Inventory was also in
development as this MRA report was being prepared, with only the federal sites having been included
in the MMA Inventory List; the state/territory, local, and tribal locations had not yet been incorporated.
The MPA criteria will be applied to the sites in the MMA Inventory list and a list of MPA sites will be
developed sometime after 2005. Cost: Low. Priority: 1.
6.2 ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTATION
Develop an integrated network capable of tracking current patterns in the Marianas MRA study area.
Currently, little is known regarding the general ocean circulation patterns surrounding the Mariana
Islands. It is also unknown how the island chain is capable of locally modified large-scale circulation
patterns. Studies conducted on other island chains (e.g., Hawai’i) have recognized the ability of
seamounts and isolated islands to alter the local currents. Current patterns in the region should be of
high priority to the Navy for use in both general navigation and training missions. Investigation into
large and small-scale current patterns in the Marianas MRA study area can be accomplished via
several different methodologies. One method would involve the deployment of in situ oceanographic
buoys in the waters encompassing the study area. It may also be possible to retrofit FADs in the
region to monitor oceanographic and meteorological conditions. An alternative method would be to
construct and operate Coastal Ocean Dynamics Radars (CODAR) along the shoreline to detect the
velocity and direction of offshore waves. Either method would allow for the construction of long-term
data sets for the region and improve the general knowledge of oceanographic processes in the
region. Cost: High. Priority: 1.
Use Navy ships as platforms-of-opportunity for the collection of marine mammal and sea turtle
sighting data. Scientific survey vessels are few in number and their deployments may not correspond
to regions of historically low survey effort within the Marianas MRA study area. Having experienced
marine animal observers onboard Navy ships within the Marianas MRA study area could greatly add
to our knowledge of the diversity and distribution of marine mammals and sea turtles in the western
Pacific Ocean. Cost: Low. Priority: 1.
Conduct aerial and shipboard (including acoustic) marine mammal surveys and expand aerial sea
turtle survey coverage to in-water distribution. Aerial surveys are essentially non-existent except for
Navy monitoring and USFWS surveys. There are no NOAA Fisheries shipboard surveys for marine
mammals in this area, although Japanese sighting cruises have extended into this region.
Understanding the spatial and temporal occurrence of protected species within the Marianas MRA
study area would allow Navy planners to schedule operations in such a way as to avoid or minimize
potential impacts. Acoustic surveys are particularly useful for vocal species, such as humpback and
sperm whales. Sperm whales are deep divers and spend little time at the water’s surface; therefore,
they are often missed during visual sighting surveys. Aerial surveys flown at the same time a ship
survey is underway may provide additional estimates of group sizes and expand the range of the
vessel survey and verify both acoustic and visual detections of whales. Cost: High. Priority: 1.
For the Marianas MRA study area, the advantages of using aerial surveys over boat or ship-based
surveys are that aircraft can be used to cover a larger area more quickly; are able to survey regions
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