Title
Protection of Marine Mammals (PoMM) (abstract)
Author
Knoll, M.
Ciaccia, E.
Dekeling, R.P.A.
Kvadsheim, P.H.
Liddell, K.
Gunnarsson, S.L.
Ludwig, S.
Nissen, I.
Lorenzen, D.
Kreimeyer, R.
Pavan, G.
Meneghetti, N.
Nordlund, N.
Benders, F.P.A.
van der Zwan, T.
Fraser, L.
Johansson, T.
Garmelius, M.
Publication year
2013
Abstract
The EDA (European Defence Agency) project PoMM (Protection of Marine Mammals) is based on an agreement between the Ministries of Defence for Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The project, running for 3 years since August 2010, aims to protect marine mammals against the impact of active sonar and maintain the ability to operate active sonar at the same time. Within this project a comprehensive common marine mammal database, being essential for risk mitigation tools, was established. The database, built on an extensive data set collection with the focus on areas of operational interest for European Navies, consists of four parts: random and systematic sightings, annual and seasonal distribution and density maps, audio information including numerous examples of various vocalizations and an encyclopaedia providing knowledge on the characteristics of 126 marine mammal species. Special investigations on marine mammal acoustics were carried out to improve the detection and classification capabilities. Based on the available audio data an algorithm was developed, trained and tested to classify selected groups of marine mammals including beaked whales, the species mostly affected by active sonars. A follow-on EDA project PoMM2 is planned to upgrade the common marine mammal database, to improve detection, classification and localization performances and to establish a common risk assessment procedure to avoid negative impact on marine mammals by military active sonars.
Subject
Physics & Electronics
AS - Acoustics & Sonar
TS - Technical Sciences
Defence Research
Marine
Defence, Safety and Security
EDA
Marine Mammals Protection
Underwater Acoustics
Active Sonars
Marine Mammal Sounds
Databases
Marine Mammal Classification
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:4745d571-910c-4738-86e3-8b32db723979
TNO identifier
483528
Source
3rd International Conference on the Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life, Budapest, Hungary, 11-16 August, 2013
Document type
conference paper