Give us an A Jessie Comba, Jessie Epstein, Carly Furman, James Kopco, Margaret Kurth, Elena Olsen, Gerardo Zepeda

A History of Strandings September 2002: 18 beaked whales from three different species; Canary Islands May 2003: 11 harbor porpoises; Haro Strait, Washington State June 2004: 6 beaked whales; Alaska July 2004: 200 melon-headed whales crowd into the shallow waters of Hanalei Bay in Hawaii July 2004: 4 beaked whales; Canary Islands January 2005: 34 whales of three species; Outer Banks of North Carolina October 1989: 20 whales of three species; Canary Islands December 1991: 2 Cuvier's beaked whales; Canary Islands May 1996: 12 Cuvier's beaked whales; west coast of Greece October 1999: 4 beaked whales; U.S. Virgin Islands March 2000 * : 16 beaked whales in Bahamas May 2000: 1 beaked whale; Vieques May 2000: 3 beaked whales; Madeira April 2002: A beaked whale and a humpback whale; Vieques

…the Cause Naval Sonar?

How Active Sonar Works

Effects on whales Behavior altered Masking of sounds Hemorrhaging in the brain Permanent ear canal damage Embolism from surfacing too quickly Whales strand themselves to escape high intensity sound Sonar has also been known to cause hemorrhaging, seizures and memory loss in divers.

Navy’s Need for LFA Training Title 10 of USC mandates readiness for “prompt and sustained combat” Advanced submarine technology requires active sonar Need to train on realistic, rugged terrain of the littoral zone Restriction on navy have made training valueless

Alternative Technologies Passive sonar Non-acoustic Sensors Magnetic Satellite Integrated Sensory Networks Training simulations

Some Specific Exceptions Navy must adhere to environmental statues Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), enforced by National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 1994 Amendment outlines mall take permit process NOAA Science Used Only small, negligible “takes” allowed Permit outlines restrictions and mitigation measures

Initial Investigations Mid 90’s: NRDC sued climate researchers use of LFA’s ’97 -’98: Navy halted LFA use Funded research to investigate impact on whales Found threshold to be 180 db Navy uses LFAs at 235 db but with precautions taken use has no biologically significant effects on whales Short term behavioral changes

NGOs bring U.S. Navy to Court

Resulting Changes 29 measures developed over next 2 years that the Navy must adhere to

NGOs NRDC IFAW The Humane Society of the United States Cetacean Society International League for Coastal Protection Ocean Futures Society

Class Survey Knowledge?National Security? Whales?Whales vs. National Security?

Things to Consider That government agencies may be too closely tied to function objectively NGOs function as watchdogs to ensure the government fulfills all of its duties Problem with developing policy based solely on best science Ocean is an open access resource and difficult to regulate its use

Recent Developments In 2007 Bush exempted the Navy from certain restrictions Was overruled but the issue is still being deliberated by the Supreme Court