Marine Mammal Behavioral Response to Tidal Turbine Sound
Lead PI: Dr. Brian Polagye, University of Washington
Start Year: 2013 | Duration: 3 Years
Partners: Sea Mammal Research Unit & Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
The project team will use drifting hydrophones to quantify spatial and temporal noise patterns produced by two Open Hydro tidal turbines in the Puget Sound. They will also utilize shore-based observers and hydrophone arrays to monitor marine mammal responses to turbine noise. This project hopes to increase the understanding of marine mammal responses to sound produced by tidal turbines (a high priority regulatory issue) and address potential risks of tidal turbines to resident killer whales.