Topic 1. Improving Attachments of Electronic Data Loggers to Cetaceans

Improving Attachments of Non-invasive (Type III) Electronic Data Loggers to Cetaceans

Lead PI: Dr. Michael Moore, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

The goal of this project is to enhance the duration of suction cups when deployed as the attachment for short term archival tags such as the DTAG. These tags are recovered after programmed suction release a few hours after deployment. The researchers would like to extend the routine attachment duration for suction cups to multiple days, if not weeks.

Number of Years: 3

Requested Funds: $899,000

Partners:

Duke University
International Fund for Animal Welfare
Belle Quant Engineering
University of Hawaii

Improving Attachments of Remotely-deployed Dorsal Fin-mounted Tags: Tissue Structure, Hydrodynamics, In Situ Performance, and Tagged-animal Follow-up

Lead PI: Dr. Russell Andrews, Alaska SeaLife Center

The researchers have recently developed small satellite-linked telemetry tags that are anchored to the dorsal fin with small attachment darts. They propose to improve upon their existing tagging methodology to achieve longer, less variable attachment durations by carefully examining the factors that affect attachment success. The researchers will design an improved barnacle-style shape for remote-deployment by assessing the hydrodynamic properties of the current tag shape and determine new candidates that may reduce the drag force.

Number of Years: 3

Requested Funds: $735,000

Partners:

Belle Quant Engineering
Cartesian Flow Solutions, Inc.
Cascadia Research Collective
NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center

Examination of Health Effects and Long-term Impacts of Deployments of Multiple Tag Types on Blue, Humpback, and Gray Whales in the Eastern North Pacific

Lead PI: Dr. John Calambokidis, Cascadia Research Collective

The proposers plan to conduct detailed follow up studies of the large number of blue, humpback, and gray whales of the eastern North Pacific that have had a variety of tags deployed on them to examine site healing, health, and short-and long-term consequences of tag deployment on reproduction, health, and survival. The cetaceans in this area represent populations exposed to more than 400 deployments of various tags and also represent some of the best-studied populations with extensive photo-identification histories making them an ideal case study.

Number of Years: 3

Requested Funds: $450,000

Partners:

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Oregon State University
NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center
Marine Mammal Center
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Animal Health Center
Pacific Biological Station
Centro Interdiscip. de Ciencias Marinas Inst. Politécnico Nacional
Mingan Island Cetacean Study

Evaluating Potential Effects of Satellite Tagging in Large Whales: A Case Study with Gulf of Maine Whales

Lead PI: Dr. Jooke Robbins, Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies

The researchers propose to study satellite tag retention and health impacts among Gulf of Maine humpback whales, as they are a well studied population. The primary goals of the work would be: 1) to characterize the range of physical and physiological response to foreign body penetration through the measurement of physical and physiological parameters; 2) to provide data to optimize performance, as well as minimize tag loss and impact; 3) to quantify the effect of tagging on individuals and to attempt to correlate that to sex, age class, reproductive condition, and tagging site. Up to 20 satellite tags would be placed on individually identified Gulf of Maine Humpback whales annually, 2010 through 2012.

Number of Years: 3

Requested Funds: $670,000

Partners: