Digital Aerial Baseline Survey of Marine Wildlife in Support of Offshore Wind Energy - OPA 2016

Original provider: NYSERDA, APEM, Normandeau Associates Dataset credits: NYSERDA, APEM, Normandeau Associates Abstract: In support of New York State's commitment to incorporating offshore wind into its energy portfolio, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) embarked on a multi-year ultrahigh-resolution aerial digital survey of marine resources in a 12,650 square nautical mile offshore planning area (OPA) in 2016. The OPA encompasses the waters of the New York Bight from Long Island southeast to the continental shelf break. Surveys are conducted on a quarterly basis, timed to coincide with periods of abundance of avian and marine species vulnerable to impacts from offshore wind activities. This report summarizes the results of the first two surveys conducted in July–August and November 2016. Each survey collected images covering at least 7% of the OPA. Of the more than 700,000 images collected within the survey area during these two surveys, 3.8% (27,135 images) contained organisms, including 38 bird, 17 fish, 5 whales, 7 dolphin, 1 seal, and 4 sea turtle species. Some seasonal patterns were evident. During the summer survey, the vast majority of the organisms observed were rays (8,388 images) or birds (1,893 images). During the fall survey, birds predominated (12,352 images). Shearwaters, storm-petrels, and terns were substantially more abundant in the summer while ducks, gannets, gulls and phalaropes were substantially more abundant in the fall. Turtles, sharks, and large bony fishes were all most abundant in the summer, though present in the fall. Number of images with marine mammals was similar in both surveys. Spatial patterns were apparent in some taxonomic groups. A number of species tended to occur in nearshore waters including large gulls and least, royal and Sterna terns. Turtles typically occurred inshore of the 70 m isobath. Audubon's, sooty, and Cory's shearwaters clustered in the northeast corner of the OPA. Whales, Audubon's shearwaters, and black-capped petrels were most common near the shelf break. While sharks exhibited no clear patterns, rays showed some tendency to cluster off the mouth of New York Harbor. Large bony fishes typically occurred in deeper waters. Results from the surveys will be incorporated into efforts to identify suitable areas for development of offshore wind projects.原始提供方： 纽约州能源研究与发展局（NYSERDA）、APEM、Normandeau Associates 数据集署名： 纽约州能源研究与发展局（NYSERDA）、APEM、Normandeau Associates 摘要： 为响应纽约州将海上风电纳入能源结构的承诺，纽约州能源研究与发展局（NYSERDA）于2016年启动了一项为期多年的超高分辨率航空数字勘测，对12650平方海里的海上规划区（OPA）内的海洋资源开展调查。该海上规划区覆盖从长岛东南部延伸至大陆架坡折带的纽约湾海域。调查按季度开展，时间安排与受海上风电活动影响风险较高的鸟类及海洋物种的繁盛期相契合。本报告汇总了2016年7-8月及11月开展的前两次调查结果，每次调查采集的影像覆盖该海上规划区至少7%的范围。 在两次调查期间于勘测区域内采集的70余万幅影像中，3.8%（共计27135幅）包含生物体，涵盖38种鸟类、17种鱼类、5种鲸类、7种海豚、1种海豹以及4种海龟。部分季节分布特征较为显著。夏季调查中，观测到的生物体绝大多数为鳐类（8388幅影像）或鸟类（1893幅影像）；秋季调查中，鸟类占绝对优势（12352幅影像）。剪水鹱、暴风海燕与燕鸥在夏季更为繁盛，而鸭类、塘鹅、鸥类以及瓣蹼鹬则在秋季数量更多。海龟、鲨鱼与大型硬骨鱼类均在夏季最为多见，秋季亦有出现。两次调查中包含海洋哺乳动物的影像数量基本持平。 部分分类类群存在显著的空间分布特征。多种物种倾向于在近岸水域活动，包括大型鸥类以及小燕鸥、白顶燕鸥和燕鸥属（Sterna）物种。海龟通常分布在70米等深线以内的近岸区域。奥杜邦剪水鹱、烟黑剪水鹱和科里剪水鹱在该海上规划区的东北角聚集。鲸类、奥杜邦剪水鹱以及黑顶海燕在大陆架坡折带附近最为常见。鲨鱼未呈现明确的分布模式，而鳐类则倾向于在纽约港入海口附近聚集。大型硬骨鱼类通常分布于更深的海域。 本次调查的结果将被纳入海上风电项目适宜开发区域的遴选工作中。