Normandeau Helped Coordinate BOEM Noise Workshop

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Bedford, NH — Normandeau Associates helped the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) convene a workshop on March 20-22 to identify gaps in our understanding of the effects of noise on marine fish, fisheries, and invertebrates. As part of its lead role in the workshop, Normandeau coordinated speakers, agenda topics, and a myriad of logistics including event registration and development of the workshop website (www.boemsoundworkshop.com). Normandeau also helped to coordinate a literature synthesis, a summary of current knowledge on the topic, to provide a framework and focus for the workshop.

The geographic focus of the workshop, held at San Diego's Town and Country Resort, was the U.S. Atlantic and Arctic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) because of industry interest in those areas. Important goals of the workshop included:

  • Identify the priority fisheries and species in the U.S. Atlantic and Arctic OCS
  • Determine the feasible short-term and long-term research goals to close significant knowledge gaps
  • Ascertain available means to reduce anthropogenic noise levels
  • Identify mitigation options to reduce exposure risk
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The workshop featured over 30 speakers, chairs, and rapporteurs from universities, government agencies, and private industry. Speakers and attendees came from the United States, Australia, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom. In addition to sessions focusing on the topic overview and conclusions, the three-day workshop featured sessions on "Priority Habitats, Species, and Fisheries;" "Sources and Sound Exposure;" and "Effects of Sound on Fishes and Invertebrates." A lightning session on the first evening of the workshop featured nearly 20 five-minute, three-slide presentations on current research, ideas, and theories. Workshop leads were Program Manager Ann Pembroke, Normandeau Associates; and principal investigators Dr. Arthur N. Popper, University of Maryland, and Dr. Anthony Hawkins, Loughine Limited and University of Aberdeen.

BOEM manages the exploration and development of the nation's offshore resources on the OCS. It seeks to appropriately balance economic development, energy independence, and environmental protection through oil and gas leases, renewable energy development, and environmental reviews and studies. For more information, visit the workshop website at: www.boemsoundworkshop.com.

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