Feeding of western gray whales during a seismic survey near Sakhalin Island, Russia |
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Authors: | S B Yazvenko T L McDonald S A Blokhin S R Johnson H R Melton M W Newcomer R Nielson P W Wainwright |
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Institution: | (1) LGL Limited, environmental research associates, 9768 Second Street, Sidney, BC, V8L 3Y8, Canada;(2) Western EcoSystems Technology, 2003 Central Avenue, Cheyenne, WY 82001, USA;(3) Pacific Research Center for Fisheries and Oceanography (TINRO-Center), 4 Shevchenko Alley, Vladivostok, 690950, Russia;(4) ExxonMobil Upstream Research, P.O. Box 2189, 3319 Mercer Street, Houston, TX 77252-2189, USA;(5) 22371 Hartman Dr., Los Altos, CA 94024, USA |
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Abstract: | Exxon Neftegas Limited, as operator of the Sakhalin-1 consortium, is developing oil and gas reserves on the continental shelf
off northeast Sakhalin Island, Russia. DalMorNefteGeofizika (DMNG) on behalf of the Sakhalin-1 consortium conducted a 3-D
seismic survey of the Odoptu license area during 17 August–9 September 2001. A portion of the primary feeding area of the
endangered western gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) is located in the vicinity of the seismic survey. This paper presents data to assess whether western gray whale bottom feeding
activity, as indicated by visible mud plumes, was affected by seismic operations. The mitigation and monitoring program associated
with the seismic survey included aerial surveys during 19 July–19 November 2001. These aerial surveys documented the local
and regional distribution, abundance, and bottom feeding activity of western gray whales. Data on gray whale feeding activity
before, during and after the seismic survey were collected, with the whales assumed to be feeding on the benthos if mud plumes
were observed on the surface. The data were used to assess the influence of seismic survey and other factors (including environmental)
on feeding activity of western gray whales. A stepwise multiple regression analysis failed to find a statistically significant
effect (α = 0.05) of the seismic survey on frequency of occurrence of mud plumes of western gray whales used as a proxy to evaluate
bottom feeding activity in Piltun feeding area. The regression indicated that transect number (a proxy for water depth, related
to distance from shore) and swell height (a proxy for sea state) were the only variables that had a significant effect on
frequency of whale mud plumes. It is concluded that the 2001 seismic survey had no measurable effect (α = 0.05) on bottom feeding activity of western gray whales off Sakhalin Island.
M.W. Newcomer, deceased |
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Keywords: | Feeding activity Mud plume Multiple regression Sakhalin Island Odoptu Seismic survey Air gun Western gray whales Environment Oil Continental shelf |
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