c January 2020

Survey Report for New York Bight Whale Monitoring

Aerial Surveys Contract No. C009926

January 2020

Prepared for:

Division of Marine Resources New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233

Prepared by:

Tetra Tech, Inc. 1999 Harrison St. Ste. 500

Oakland, CA 94612

This report contains preliminary data from January 2020 surveys. Do not cite without permission from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

i January 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................... iii

1.0 INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................1

2.0 EFFORT ...............................................................................................................................1

3.0 SIGHTINGS ........................................................................................................................3

3.1 PRIORITY LARGE WHALE SIGHTINGS ........................................................................3 3.2 OTHER MARINE MAMMAL SIGHTINGS ......................................................................6 3.3 SEA TURTLE SIGHTINGS ............................................................................................6 3.4 UNUSUAL OR RARE SIGHTINGS .................................................................................6 3.5 STRANDING AND ENTANGLEMENT REPORTS .............................................................7 3.6 OTHER SIGHTINGS ....................................................................................................7

4.0 PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED ..........................................................................................7

5.0 PHOTOGRAPHS ................................................................................................................8

ii January 2020

FIGURES

Figure 1. Survey Lines Flown by Effort Type During the January 2020 Survey ............................2

Figure 2. Locations of All Groups of Priority Large Whales Sighted During the January 2020 Survey ..................................................................................................................................4

Figure 3. Locations of All Groups of Marine Mammals Sighted During the January 2020 Survey ..................................................................................................................................5

Figure 4. Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) January 2020 ....................................................8

Figure 5. Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) January 2020 ....................................................9

Figure 6. Unidentified beaked whale mother/calf pair January 2020 ............................................10

TABLES

Table 1. Flight Time and Distance by Effort Type During the January 2020 Survey .....................1

Table 2. Number of Priority Large Whale Species Sighted During the January 2020 Survey........3

Table 3. Other Marine Mammal Sightings During the January 2020 Survey .................................6

iii January 2020

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

hr Hour km Kilometer NA Not applicable NEFSC Northeast Fisheries Science Center NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NYSDEC New York State Department of Environmental Conservation SE Standard error

1 January 2020

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Tetra Tech, Inc., in coordination with LGL Ecological Research and Aspen Helicopters, Inc. (collectively, the “survey team”), is contracted by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Division of Marine Resources to conduct 36 monthly line-transect aerial surveys focused on the six large whale species most likely to occur in the New York Bight. This survey report documents the survey effort and sightings from the January 2020 survey, the 35th of 36 surveys scheduled to occur under this contract.

2.0 EFFORT

The January 2020 survey occurred from January 13-19, 2020 however no flights were conducted on January 14, and 19 due to weather conditions. On January 14th low clouds with a ceiling below 1,000 feet covered the suvey area and on January 19th high winds (and thus high sea states) precluded flights from occurring safely. Flights were aborted on January 13, 16, and 17 due to either low clouds/fog or high winds and sea state. On January 17th the survey team transited from Monmouth Jet Center to the top of Line 13 to assess sea state conditions in high winds and found conditions to be outside of survey parameters (sea state too high) to survey. A total of six flights were conducted, for a total of 14.3 hours in the air (i.e., from wheels up on the airport tarmac to wheels down on the airport tarmac for each flight). A total of 3,030.8 kilometers (km) were flown. Due to inclement weather the entire survey was not completed. At the end of survey operations Lines 8-15 remained unsurveyed despite best efforts. Figure 1 shows the survey lines completed. Table 1 presents the flight time durations and distances by effort type.

TABLE 1. FLIGHT TIME AND DISTANCE BY EFFORT TYPE DURING THE JANUARY 2020 SURVEY

Survey Dates

Hours and Kilometers (km) by Type of Flight Effort Total

Overland Transit Transect Circling Cross-Leg

hr km hr km hr km hr km hr km hr km Januar 13-19, 2020 1.1 234.6 4.6 1,073.2 7.0 1,381.9 1.1 234.2 0.5 106.9 14.3 3,030.8

2 January 2020

Figure 1. Survey Lines Flown by Effort Type During the January 2020 Survey

3 January 2020

3.0 SIGHTINGS

Sightings are presented below based on the following subsections: (1) the six priority large whale species and unidentified whales, (2) other marine mammal sightings, (3) sea turtle sightings, (4) unusual or rare sightings, (5) sightings of dead, injured, stranded, or entangled marine mammals or sea turtles, and (6) other species/object sightings. Figure 2 is a map of all large whale sighting locations and Figure 3 is a map of all marine mammal sighting locations.

3.1 PRIORITY LARGE WHALE SIGHTINGS

A total of 4 sightings (i.e., groups) of an estimated 6 individual large whales were observed (Table 2). Sightings consisted of 2 groups (estimated 3 total individuals) of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), 1 group (estimated 2 total individuals) of North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis), and one sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). The North Atlantic right whales were immediately circled in attempt to photograph, the survey team circled for over 30 minutes however the animals were not sighted again. The difficulty in resighting the animals was due to inopportune survey conditions (high winds and Beaufort sea sate; >6). The right whale sighting was reported via telephone to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Sighting Report Hotline at approximately 11:15, after landing on January 16th and an additional conversation occurred between the project Principle Investigator (Kate Lomac-MacNair) and Tim Cole of NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) Protected Species Division who called to discuss the sighting. Kate and Tim spoke at 8:15 am on January 17th and Kate confirmed the right whale sighting information.

TABLE 2. NUMBER OF PRIORITY LARGE WHALE SPECIES SIGHTED DURING THE JANUARY 2020 SURVEY

Common Name* Scientific Name Number

of Groups

Total Number of Individuals

Mean Group

Size (SE)

Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae 2 3 1.5 (0.5) North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis 1 2 2.0 (NA) Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus 1 1 1.0 (NA) Total 4 6

Notes: *Listed in alphabetical order NA = Not applicable; SE = Standard error

4 January 2020

Figure 2. Locations of All Groups of Priority Large Whales Sighted During the January 2020 Survey

5 January 2020

Figure 3. Locations of All Groups of Marine Mammals Sighted During the January 2020 Survey

6 January 2020

3.2 OTHER MARINE MAMMAL SIGHTINGS

A minimum total of 10 sightings of an estimated 163 individual marine mammals other than the six priority whale species were observed (Table 3). This included 1 group (estimated 10 individuals) of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), 1 group (estimated 25 individuals) of Delphinus/Tursiops/Stenella Sp., 1 group (estimated 2 individuals) of Risso’s dolohin (Grampus griseus), 1 group (estimated 5 individuals) of unidentified beaked whales including one calf, and 6 groups (estimated 121 individuals) of unidentified dolphins. In accordance with the project scope of work, the aircraft is required to circle only to photo-identify North Atlantic right whales and to identify species and/or confirm group size/composition of large whales, as possible. Some species identifications are preliminary and not certain due to not routinely circling and photographing marine mammal species other than large priority whales, per the project scope of work.

TABLE 3. OTHER MARINE MAMMAL SIGHTINGS DURING THE JANUARY 2020 SURVEY

Common Name* Scientific Name Number

of Groups

Total Number of Individuals

Mean Group

Size (SE)

Bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus 1 10 10.0 (NA) Delphinus/Tursiops/Stenella Delphinus/Tursiops/Stenella 1 25 25.0 (NA) Risso’s dolphin Grampus griseus 1 2 2.0 (NA) Unidentified beaked whale NA 1 5 5.0 (NA) Unidentified dolphin NA 6 121 20.2 (4.9) Total 10 163

Notes: *Listed in alphabetical order NA = Not applicable; SE = Standard error

3.3 SEA TURTLE SIGHTINGS

There were no sea turtles recorded during the January 2020 survey.

3.4 UNUSUAL OR RARE SIGHTINGS

On January 18th a group of 5 unidentified beaked whales was observed at the offshore end of Line 1. There were 4 adults and 1 calf observed in the group. The survey team circled for identification of species and for photographs for over 30 minutes. However, the animals proved difficult to photograph effectively as they surfaced quickly and not at the angles which are ideal for photo review and species identification. Photographs were reviewed by the Project Manager and the Principle Investigator and could not be ID’d to species level however are most likely an unidentified Ziphiidae.

7 January 2020

3.5 STRANDING AND ENTANGLEMENT REPORTS

There were no strandings or entanglements during the January 2020 survey.

3.6 OTHER SIGHTINGS

In addition to those described above, there were other types of non-marine mammal sightings. To focus observation efforts on searching for large priority whale species, only the sighting type, time, and general location of these other sightings were recorded. These data were recorded opportunistically as feasible, with additional details entered into voice recordings (e.g., estimated body length and coloration, behavior, and group size). Hot keys on a laptop running the software Mysticetus were used to mark the locations of these sightings when doing so would not interfere significantly with priority observation efforts (e.g., in areas where all sightings were relatively low). The sightings below consist of those for which general locations and times were noted using the computer in the field; thus, they should be considered minimum numbers of sightings. Review of the voice recorder data could provide additional information regarding these sightings.

• Minimum 1 group (1 estimated individuals) of ocean sunfish (Mola mola)

4.0 PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED

There were no problems encountered during the January 2020 survey other than standard winter weather concerns.

8 January 2020

5.0 PHOTOGRAPHS

Figure 4. Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) January 2020

Photo credit: Kate Lomac-MacNair (Tetra Tech)

9 January 2020

Figure 5. Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) January 2020

Photo credit: Kate Lomac-MacNair (Tetra Tech)

10 January 2020

Figure 6. Unidentified beaked whale mother/calf pair January 2020

Photo credit: Kate Lomac-MacNair (Tetra Tech)