Attachment 1 EWS Aerial Survey Protocols Dec2024 (1).pdf

Early Warning System (EWS) Aerial Survey Protocols1

Last Updated December 2024

Roles and Responsibilities Observer Training and Safety Equipment Aircraft Related Items

Mode III Transponder Codes from EADS FACSFACJAX Aerial Survey Coordination Automated Flight Following

Data Overview Data Collection Error-Checking Data Data Storage and Submission

Collaboration Between Survey Teams Information Sharing Survey Zones and Transects

Communication Morning E-mails New Mom/Calf Pair Sightings Dredges Submarines Right Whales Observed in Rivers and Port Entrances Other Scenarios Requiring Real-Time Assistance from Coast Guard or Law Enforcement Completing and Submitting WVI Forms Media, Reports, and Publications

Disseminating Whale Sighting Information Issuing a Whale Alerts (Sighting) Special Circumstances: Reporting and Alerts Dynamic Management Areas (DMAs) Right Whale Sightings Mapper

Distressed or Dead Whales Entangled Whales Injured Whales Live Calf Strandings Dead Whales and Other Marine Mammals Photos for Immediate Planning Purposes

Miscellaneous Potential Violations of ESA or MMPA Regulations Derelict Vessels VHF Marine Radio

1 This is intended to be a dynamic document that reflects current procedures. Contractors and grant recipients will not incur additional costs as the result of changes. Changes will be made by NMFS in consultation with EWS participants, contractors, and grant recipients; however, ultimately, the protocols will reflect the needs of the Government.

Deliverables Prior to Commencing Surveys Performance Records and Weekly Reports End of Season Completing and Submitting WVI Forms

Roles and Responsibilities

NOAA Early Warning System (EWS) right whale surveys are implemented annually by contractors in cooperation with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southeast Region (SER), as outlined in Scopes of Services and in contractors’ respective contracts and grants.

Contractors are responsible for standing up one or more “survey teams” which will conduct right whale surveys and associated activities each calving season, and will generally be structured as follows:

● Survey Team

○ Scientific Party

■ Team Leader/Marine Mammal Observer

■ Other Marine Mammal Observer(s)

■ Other scientific staff as specified

○ Flight Crew

■ Pilot in Command

■ Co-Pilot

■ Maintenance staff or reserve pilots as specified

Each survey team will consist of (1) a “scientific party” that implements the survey project and

(2) a “flight crew” that operates the survey aircraft. The scientific party includes the trained scientific staff who are located on-site and implement day-to-day whale survey activities. The scientific party will include a minimum of 3 marine mammal observers (hereafter “observers”) who are trained to fly aboard the survey aircraft, spot and identify marine mammals, collect data, and conduct other survey activities. One of the observers will be designated the “team leader” and will be responsible for (1) supervising the observers and any other members of the scientific party, (2) liaising with their flight crew (e.g., making daily fly/no fly decisions), and (3) coordinating with NMFS and the other EWS survey teams. The flight crew, which will consist of at least two pilots, will operate the survey aircraft in accordance with the “NOAA Fisheries SER Minimum Aircraft and Crew Provisions for Right Whale Aerial Surveys, December 2024.”

At least two trained observers and two pilots will be aboard the survey aircraft during all whale surveys. At least one observer who is listed as an investigator on a NMFS scientific research permit will be in the aircraft whenever whale surveys are being conducted. When whale surveys are underway, one member of the scientific party will remain on the ground to disseminate Whale Alerts and manage other communications; this role is referred to as the “ground contact.”

The primary NMFS SER POC for EWS aerial survey activities is Kara Shervanick, Southeast Right Whale Recovery Coordinator. Ms. Shervanick will provide oversight of EWS survey activities, including coordinating with survey team leaders. Team leaders or other members of the scientific party will be expected to participate in and assist with in-person and virtual meetings as needed and requested by NMFS SER (e.g., pre-season planning meetings, in-season coordination meetings, post-season reporting meetings).

Observer Training and Safety Equipment

NOAA-issued contracts specify aircraft, crew, and safety equipment and training required for flying right whale aerial surveys in the Southeast U.S. Safety training requirements may be found at https://www.noaa.gov/organization/administration/nao-209-124-aviation-safety-policy.

Standards for EWS surveys are consistent with or exceed NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 209-124 and include:

Scientific Party Training

All observers (and other members of the scientific party) who fly aboard NMFS Southeast Region (SER) funded whale survey aircraft shall comply with the following training requirements, and as outlined in Table 1 below:

1. Water Ditching and Safety & Survival Training, Every 5 Years: All observers shall have successfullly completed an approved in-person “water ditching and safety & survival training class” within the past 5 years. A listing of possible training vendors can be found on the EWS Google Drive under “Protocols” > “Aviation Safety Training.”

2. Annual Training: All observers shall have completed the following training activities within the past 1 year:

a. Complete “Aviation Safety and Survival” and “Aviation Health” training modules, available in the EWS Google Drive under “Protocols” > “Aviation Safety Training” > “Annual NOAA E-Learning Slides.”

b. View “Survival Kits: Rafts and Accessories” and “Surviving on Open Water” online training videos, available at https://www.faa.gov/pilots/training/airman_education/aircrewsurvivalvideos.

c. For observers members that have not completed “water ditching and safety & survival training” within the past 1 year, view the emergency aircraft ditching and egress video located on the EWS Google Drive under “Protocols” > “Aviation Safety Training.”

3. Confirmation of Training Completion and Currency: Each observer, including the team leader, shall sign a “training statement” confirming they have completed all required training within the prospective time required. The team leader shall compile and submit copies of signed training statements from all observers members to NOAA as follows:

a. For teams flying aboard non-NOAA aircraft, transmit via email to the NMFS Southeast Right Whale Coordinator, Kara Shervanick, at kara.shervanick@noaa.gov and cc nmfs.ser.rw.noaacorps@noaa.gov.

https://www.noaa.gov/organization/administration/nao-209-124-aviation-safety-policy mailto:kara.shervanick@noaa.gov mailto:nmfs.ser.rw.noaacorps@noaa.gov

b. For teams flying aboard NOAA aircraft , forward to NOAA AOC Programs2

Liaison.

Table 1. Required observer training.

Safety Equipment

Each observer shall carry and maintain to industry standards the following Aviation Life Support Equipment (ALSE) in addition to that listed in NAO 209-124:

1. Whistle and Signal Mirror for Personal Flotation Device

2. Rescue Strobe Light

3. Rescue Signal Streamer or Sea Dye Marker

4. Safety knife

5. Leather Boots or Shoes (recommended)

6. Nomex or Other Flame-Resistent Flight Suit

Aircraft Related Items

Mode III Transponder Codes from EADS

The following information is needed at least two weeks prior to survey for NOAA to obtain Mode III Transponder Codes from the Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS) for all aerial survey teams:

1. Aircraft type

2. Tail number(s)

3. Airfield used

2 AOC now collecting training records per AOC’s Policy 220-1-1, Aircraft Operations Center Flight Operations, paragraph 4.08. Policy available at https://www.omao.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/documents/AOC%20Ops%20Manual%20Feb%202012.pdf https://www.omao.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/documents/AOC%20Ops%20Manual%20Feb%202012.pdf

4. Area of operation (previously we provided a northeast and southeast boundary)

5. Date and Time of operations

6. Point of contact(s) for each plane flying

Survey teams will request their own codes from EADS by emailing Joe Bassett, Assistant Air Defense Manager, at joseph.c.bassett.civ@navy.mil.

FACSFACJAX Aerial Survey Coordination

1. If survey aircraft will be flying in a Navy operation area (Fig. 1), the aerial survey team must schedule airspace through the Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility, Jacksonville (FACSFACJAX) Scheduling Department. This is done by filing an “OPAREA Request Form” (Appendix 1).

a. Instructions for scheduling the airspace state: “Specify corner coordinates of aerial survey zone and request the airspace for the entire calving season.”

b. Obtain a current version of OPAREA Request Form from the NOAA right whale program personnel or Mr. Wright at randall.c.wright.ctr@navy.mil.

c. You will be requested to enter data in the following fields: Command (agency), Point-of-Contact, Event and Miscellaneous information. See example below.

2. Pilots and Team Leaders may receive weekly OPAREA schedules from Mr. Wright via e-mail sent to nmfs.ser.rw.airsked@noaa.gov. The OPAREA schedules will note your flights and you will be able to view Navy HOT AREAS and different events during your scheduled flight windows. Verify with NOAA right whale program personnel that you are added to the NMFS Airsked e-mail distribution list.

3. Any questions about the schedules can be directed to the FACSFACJAX schedules office at 904-542-3971.

Automated Flight Following

All survey aircraft will utilize Automated Flight Following to enable real-time online tracking of survey aircraft in order to enhance safety and effectiveness of survey operations. Survey teams will provide automated flight following information to kara.shervanick@noaa.gov and cc nmfs.ser.rw.noaacorps@noaa.gov prior to the start of the survey season. Instructions for Automated Flight Following can be found in the EWS protocols folder.

Data Overview

The primary types of data that survey teams will collect are (1) Survey Effort and Event Data, also referred to as survey effort and sighting data, and (2) Photo-Identification Data. Additional data will be collected during emergencies and other special events (e.g., entangled whales, whale/vessel interactions, and are described later in this document).

mailto:joseph.c.bassett.civ@navy.mil mailto:randall.c.wright.ctr@navy.mil mailto:nmfs.ser.rw.airsked@noaa.gov

Figure 1. Military OPAREAs that overlap with EWS aerial survey transect lines.

Survey Effort and Event Data: The Contractor shall generally adhere to data collection, formatting, and submission requirements for survey effort and event data consistent with the North Atlantic Right Whale Sightings Database (NARWSD) ,. However, final data collection3 and formatting requirements shall be determined by the needs of the Government and may vary from that of the NARWSD if requested and specified by NMFS within these protocols.

Photo-Identification Data: The Contractor shall generally adhere to data collection and formatting requirements for photo-identification data and photographs as specified by the North Atlantic Right Whale Catalog (NARWC) manager . However, final data collection, formatting,4 and submission requirements for photo-identification data shall be determined by the needs of the Government and may vary from that of the NARWC if specified by NMFS.

Data Collection

1. Data shall be collected similarly between Southeast aerial survey teams using the SEFSC-generated AerialVis data entry program.

2. Airspeed. Surveys should be conducted at a target speed of 100 knots over ground.

3. On Track/Off Track. Specify “On Track” when observers are “On Watch” (both observers are looking for whales, and the plane is over water) and the aircraft wings are leveled (i.e., bank angle close to zero, wings parallel to the horizon). On Track effort is generally reserved for transects and transits longer than 10 nautical miles (nmi). Specify “Off Track” for all other occasions –including when an aerial survey team is transiting to a reported whale location (verification) or to provide support for a disentanglement operation. Crosslegs between transects are generally Off Track but may be included if the crossleg is at least 3 nmi long and all survey information is accurately recorded.

4. Trackline field. Record transect latitude (in degrees, minutes; e.g., 3059) when flying a designated east-west transect; transect abbreviation (e.g., C47) when flying a designated coastal transect; “X” during crosslegs between transects; “T” when transiting to/from the airport or a reported whale location; or “V” when searching for a previously reported whale.

5. Check and record environmental variables at 7-minute intervals (minimum) throughout the survey.

a. Sea state calibration. Sea state is an important environmental variable for some analyses of whale survey data, so it is important that sea state is recorded accurately and consistently among survey teams. As opportunities arise, when survey teams happen to be flying in close proximity to one another (e.g., flying in the same direction on adjacent transect lines), teams will discuss their sea state observations in real-time via aviation or marine radio to ensure observers are assessing sea state in a similar manner.

4 New England Aquarium, "North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium Photographic Database/Catalog Submission, Version 9 (2023)” [or most recent version].

https://www.narwc.org/uploads/1/1/6/6/116623219/photographic_data_submission_final_dec_2023.pdf

3 Robert D. Kenney, "The North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium Database: A Guide for Users and Contributors, Version 8” [or most recent version]. North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium Reference Document 2023-01.

October 2023. https://www.narwc.org/uploads/1/1/6/6/116623219/narwc_users_guide__v8_.pdf https://www.narwc.org/uploads/1/1/6/6/116623219/photographic_data_submission_final_dec_2023.pdf https://www.narwc.org/uploads/1/1/6/6/116623219/narwc_users_guide__v8_.pdf

6. The following data shall be collected for each survey flown:

a. Effort data (e.g. timed position coordinates, survey start and end, trackline start and end waypoints, environmental conditions affecting sightability of animals, etc.).

i. GPS positions should be recorded at least every 10 seconds

b. Number, location along the trackline, and exact location of large whales, including mother/calf pairs

c. Location along the trackline of leatherback sea turtles and manta rays

d. Location along the trackline of recreational vessels seen within 2 nmi of the trackline (if this doesn’t compromise detection of right whales).

e. Type, location along flight path of governmental vessels (i.e. vessels not typically tracked via AIS) within 2 nmi of the plane

f. Digital photographs to identify individual right whales (as whale behavior permits; photographs should be collected efficiently to maximize the area surveyed daily)

g. Incidents of human interactions with right whales, including “near-miss” circumstances between right whales and vessels and illegal close approaches to right whales (Whale-Vessel Interactions).

h. Incidents of entangled, dead, or out-of-habitat large whales.

i. Any commercial fishing gear that is not typically tended (distance from shore, gear type, spacing between, color)

7. Data shall be collected consistently between teams. That is, the same fields and formats shall be used by all teams using the same platform. Team leaders should coordinate between themselves to accomplish this, but final table and field format should be approved by the Southeast Right Whale Coordinator.

a. Time format. Use UTC (GMT) for aerial survey data submitted to FWC. NEAq may require photo-identification data be submitted in local time.

b. GPS format. Use decimal degrees.

Error-Checking Data

1. ALT Field. Use the data submission sheets to provide information on abnormal ALT field variables and the cause for the abnormalities. Specify if the abnormal readings are:

1) to fly over/under/around something, 2) the GPS unit malfunctioned (hopefully, this was caught in flight and you can indicate on the data submission sheet what altitude you were flying at), or 3) the pilots inadvertently flew too high or too low. Intentional, or accidental, deviations from the intended flight plan are not errors.

Data Storage and Submission

1. Survey teams shall implement data backup and recovery plans to ensure that physical and digital data are protected against accidental loss of user data, database corruption, hardware failure and natural disasters. Data backups should be performed regularly to ensure zero data loss. Data backups should be stored in secure locations.

2. Survey teams shall submit NARWSD data to Katie Jackson, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) at katharine.jackson@myfwc.com by the timeline specified in project documents (e.g., grant and contract scopes of work). NARWSD data files will be processed and compiled as follows:

a. Data from each survey day shall be compiled into a single MS Access data file names TEAMYYY.mdb.

b. Naming convention for daily data tables shall be TEAMYYYYMMDD.

c. All data shall be checked for human-related data entry errors and all such errors eliminated (FWC will provide final QA/QC services for SE survey teams). Note:

do not change GPS-entered data.

d. Data should be accompanied by NARWSD Submission Cover Sheets. In addition to platform (aircraft type), these should include the number and roles of observers and a list of species that were consistently recorded.

3. Photo-Identification Data: An archival set of all original, unedited images will be saved and archived by the survey team. Copies of images and associated metadata will be processed and submitted to the North Atlantic Right Whale Catalog as outlined in the New England Aquarium’s submission guidelines . Images submitted to NMFS SER5 should be copies of original image files (i.e., not resized or otherwise manipulated) and stored by survey date.

Collaboration Between Survey Teams

Information Sharing

Prior to each season, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GDNR) will set up and share a sighting collaboration folder on the “SEUS Right Whales” Google Drive. The folder will include folders for sharing photographs, animal ID spreadsheet, etc. All aerial survey teams are expected to use and contribute to this collaboration tool. Contact Jessica Thompson at jessica.thompson1@dnr.ga.gov for further information.

Survey Zones and Transects

Prior to each season, a “universe” of transects will be identified (or it will be agreed upon to use the prior season “universe”) that will be sampled or flown during the course of the calving season. The universe of lines will be typically identified prior to November and related files are available on Google Drive in the Protocols > Survey Zones/Lines folder.

FWC will generate either weekly or bi-monthly predictions of where right whales are likely to be found based on recent environmental and other factors. The subset of survey lines that will be flown by survey teams on any given day will be (1) selected from the universe of lines, (2) based on a combination of the prediction model, recent whale sightings, current weather conditions and

5 New England Aquarium, "North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium Photographic Database/Catalog Submission, Version 9 (2023)” [or most recent version].

https://www.narwc.org/uploads/1/1/6/6/116623219/photographic_data_submission_final_dec_2023.pdf mailto:katharine.jackson@myfwc.com mailto:jessica.thompson@dnr.ga.gov military airspace constraints, and (3) mutually agreed upon by collaborating survey teams prior to takeoff. Any disagreements or points of confusion should be brought to the attention of the Southeast Right Whale Coordinator.

Communication

Morning E-mails Each morning, Team Leaders should send an e-mail communicating the area that will be surveyed, take off time, names of pilots (PIC and SIC) and observers, and who the ground contact will be.

Example E-mail:

Subject: CEWS 06JAN13 Message:

Good morning, The Central EWS right whale aerial survey team will take off at 1000 hrs.

Direction of flight will be south to north from 30 17N to 30 50N and east to 80 47W.

Aircraft: N337CH (white and orange/brown Cessna 337) Pilots: Graham Hill (PIC) and Jason Clay (SIC) Observers: Kate Pagan and Orla O’Brien Ground contact: Kelsey Howe (morning) and Marjorie Foster (afternoon) 904-339-3053 cell or 904-825-4828

Please report right whale sightings to 1-877-WHALE-HELP (1-877-942-5343) or U.S. Coast Guard on VHF channel 16.

Thank you

Recipients:

At minimum, individuals listed in the Morning Email Recipients Google Sheet should be included on morning emails.

New Mom/Calf Pair Sightings

The Southeast Right Whale Coordinator has a number of responsibilities for notifying NMFS entities about new mom/calf pairs. To facilitate these new mom/calf pair notifications:

● Text Kara Shervanick (575-571-9037) as soon as it is determined that a new mom/calf pair has been detected, and later

● Email Kara Shervanick, kara.shervanick@noaa.gov, and cc nmfs.ser.rw.noaacorps@noaa.gov with additional information (i.e., New Mom emails).

No other NMFS entities should be notified unless requested by the Southeast Right Whale Coordinator.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1VJUHCbOobKsNgAppYOgk5EnRpy8Sifqv3lbf-g4SLVU&authuser=0

Dredges

Contact dredge project vessels via VHF radio channel 16 or 13 only if a whale is within 1 nmi of the dredge or other known project vessel, its intended track, or dumpsite or the team views the information as urgent (i.e. similar to any other whale/vessel interaction; see below) .6

Submarines

When flying an aerial survey and upon initial observation of a Naval escort vessel convoy, use the marine VHF radio (Ch.16) to establish immediate contact with escort vessels. After positive contact is established, switch to marine VHF channel 22A (see VHF Marine Radio section for radio communication protocols).

When communicating via radio, always refer to them as ‘Naval vessel escort’ -never by vessel name. Only refer to the position of the SURVEY PLANE, and never state that the Naval escort convoy is in sight. Communication should adhere strictly to information in the following examples:

Marine Radio

Entity Message Whale Survey Plane On Ch 16:

“Naval Vessel Escort, this is whale survey plane 1375Lima on channel one six”

Naval Vessel Escort on Ch 16:

“Whale survey plane 1375Lima this is Naval Vessel Escort. Reply one twenty three fifteen, one twenty-one five or 22Alpha”

Whale Survey Plane on Ch 16:

“22Alpha” or “Roger”

Naval Vessel Escort on 123.15, 121.5, or 22A:

“Whale survey plane 1375Lima this is Naval Vessel Escort”

Naval Vessel Escort on 123.15, 121.5, or 22A:

“This is Whale Survey Plane 1375Lima heading eastbound on latitude 30 degree 50 minute line of latitude, over.”

Naval Vessel Escort on 123.15, 121.5, or 22A:

“Roger.”

Naval Vessel Escort on 123.15, 121.5, or 22A:

“This is Whale Survey Plane 1375Lima out.”

6 FYI -dredges and project support vessels will obtain EWS sightings from the EWS sighting alert system (pager, text message, e-mail, etc.).

If positive communication is not obtained, maintain 3nm distance.

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) escort vessels prefer to minimize contact made on marine radio, and they also prefer that lat and long positions not be given over marine radio.

Inform naval vessel escort vessels directly of all whales within 2 nm of their position, even if not directly off their bow. This is because possible maneuvers could still put them at risk of collision even if they are not on a direct course for the whales.

When giving escort vessel details of a whale in close proximity, give relative distance and bearing from the escort position rather than coordinates of the whale. Never give coordinates and relative positions.

Consistently maintain 1 nmi Closest Point of Approach (CPA) from convoy and all military -including foreign naval vessels in the area.

Contact unescorted submarines in close proximity to whales by using VHF 16 (marine band) and call "x bound Naval unit" and identify yourself as a whale spotter plane. If the submarine does not respond after a couple of tries, go ahead and broadcast the position of the whale relative to the submarine -do not use lat/long coordinates. For instance, "a mother/calf pair is 1 mile at bearing 45 degrees."

Naval Submarine Support Command (NSSC) can be contacted directly at (912) 573-9281 or

(912) 674-8621. With the information that you provide, they can identify the sub and transmit sighting information directly to them.

Right Whales Observed in Rivers and Port Entrances

If an aerial survey team observes a right whale in a river or port entrance (i.e., west of the COLREGS demarcation lines), the aerial survey team should immediately notify the local USCG Sector via marine VHF channel 22A. The survey team should identify themselves as a whale aerial survey team working for NOAA. USCG will dispatch a vessel if one is available. After establishing contact with USCG, contact NMFS immediately (Kara Shervanick, 575-571-9037, or Blair Mase 786-382-9585).

Other Scenarios Requiring Real-Time Assistance from Coast Guard or Law Enforcement

In rare cases it may be appropriate for survey teams to notify USCG or state law enforcement when immediate on-water assistance is needed, such as when whales are located in dredged channels, inlets, areas of high vessel traffic, or other ongoing situations that pose a danger to whales or humans. To notify law enforcement, the ground contact should immediately call the USCG Command Center, or FWC’s or GDNR’s Marine Mammal Program staff, who can in turn contact state law enforcement. Identify yourselves as a whale aerial survey team working for NOAA or state. Provide an overview of the situation and be prepared to answer questions.

Phone numbers for USCG Command Center, and the FWC and GDNR marine mammal program staff are located on the EWS Contact Sheet.

Documenting Whale Vessel Interactions (WVIs)

Federal regulations generally prohibit vessels from approaching within 500 yards of any right whale without a permit or in other special circumstances. Survey teams should therefore document all observations of vessels within 500 yards of right whales when possible, whether the event appears accidental or intentional. Record date and time and take copious photographs to document the event.

Photographs that might be helpful include:

1. Of the event (whale and vessel in same frame)

2. Identifying features of vessel

3. Photos of GPS and console or other part of aircraft (photo should occur at the location of the alleged violation)

Other information that may be helpful includes:

1. Photolog with line by line description of photographs (state facts, don’t draw conclusions)

2. Radio exchange information

3. Lat/long coordinates of alleged violation location

See “Miscellaneous > Potential Violations of ESA or MMPA Regulations” below for additional information about data chain-of-custody and other matters involving potential violations of marine mammal regulations.

Completing and Submitting WVI Forms

Standardized WVI forms should be completed and e-mailed to FWC and the Southeast Right Whale Coordinator within 24 hours of an “urgent” event (see below) or within 72 hours of a non-urgent event:

● Include the following in the Subject of the e-mail: Whale/Vessel Interaction:

[yyyymmdd].

● Place “Urgent” in the subject line immediately preceding “Whale/Vessel Interaction yyyymmdd if the event is a potential violation of ESA regulations, or if the event involves a federal vessel.

Media, Reports, and Publications

Acknowledge the appropriate funding sources in media interviews, reports, and publications when possible. Consult contracts and grant scopes of work regarding other language that pertains to NMFS technical publications or publications in peer-reviewed literature.

Additional notes regarding media.

● Notify the Southeast Right Whale Coordinator if you are contacted by the media for an interview and what topics you discussed.

● Do not distribute cell or home phone numbers to the media without prior permission from the individual that the number belongs to.

Disseminating Whale Sighting Information

Issuing Whale Alerts (Sightings)

Survey teams will report all large whale sightings to their ground contact promptly after the sighting via text or voice (do not use marine VHF radio). The ground contact will, in turn, disseminate the sighting information in near-real-time via the following email and text message distribution lists:

1. Send emails to 2 distribution lists (Table 2):

a. The distribution list that corresponds to the local geographic bin where the sighting occurred, and

b. The All Sightings bin.

Table 2. Email addresses and geographic scope for WHALE ALERT sighting bins are as follows:

Bin Email Geographic Scope

All Sightings nmfs.ser.rw.all@noaa.gov Entire SEUS

Brunswick nmfs.ser.rw.brunswick@noaa.gov 30°50’N -31°25’N

Canaveral nmfs.ser.rw.canaveral@noaa.gov 28°00’N - 28°50’N

Daytona nmfs.ser.rw.daytona@noaa.gov 28°50’N - 29°25.5’N

Gulf of Mexico nmfs.ser.rw.gomex@noaa.gov Anywhere in Gulf of Mexico

Jacksonville/ Fernandina nmfs.ser.rw.jaxfern@noaa.gov 30°05’N - 30°50N

Savannah nmfs.ser.rw.savannah@noaa.gov 31°25’N - 32°00’N

St. Augustine nmfs.ser.rw.staugustine@noaa.gov 29°25.5’N- 30°05’N

Miami nmfs.ser.rw.miami@noaa.gov South Florida (approx 25°48N 81°21W to 28°00N 80°31W)

North Carolina nmfs.ser.rw.nc@noaa.gov All of NC (approx 33°50N to 36°33N)

North nmfs.ser.rw.north@noaa.gov North of NC

South Carolina nmfs.ser.rw.sc@noaa.gov All of SC (approx 32°00’N to 33°50’N) mailto:Barb.Zoodsma@noaa.gov mailto:nmfs.ser.rw.brunswick@noaa.gov mailto:nmfs.ser.rw.canaveral@noaa.gov mailto:nmfs.ser.rw.daytona@noaa.gov mailto:nmfs.ser.rw.jaxfern@noaa.gov mailto:nmfs.ser.rw.savannah@noaa.gov mailto:nmfs.ser.rw.staugustine@noaa.gov mailto:nmfs.ser.rw.miami@noaa.gov mailto:nmfs.ser.rw.nc@noaa.gov mailto:nmfs.ser.rw.sc@noaa.gov

2. Send text messages using the text messaging service contracted by NMFS SER. Similar to Whale Alert emails, text messages should be sent to 2 distribution lists:

a. The distribution list that corresponds to the local geographic bin where the sighting occurred, and

b. The All Sightings bin.

NMFS SER may utilize a different text messaging service each year and will provide log in information and instructions for how to send messages each year.

WHALE ALERT Format and Content: The following are examples of hypothetical WHALE ALERT emails and text messages. Additional formatting information is provided in Tables 3-4.

Example WHALE ALERT email originating from an EWS survey platform in the St. Augustine area:

To: [leave blank] Cc: [leave blank] Bcc: nmfs.ser.rw.staugustine@noaa.gov, nmfs.ser.rw.all@noaa.gov Subject: RI WHALE ALERT 3.2NM SE “STJ” (SEWS008) Message: 13JAN2008, 10:58(L), 2947.5N 08115.5W, 1 ADULT, 1 CALF, HDG S

Example WHALE ALERT email originating from a non-EWS (i.e., OTHER) platform in the St.

Augustine area:

To: [leave blank] Cc: [leave blank] Bcc: nmfs.ser.rw.staugustine@noaa.gov, nmfs.ser.rw.all@noaa.gov Subject: RI WHALE ALERT 3.2NM SE “STJ” (OTHER005) Message: 13JAN2008, 10:58(L), 2947.5N 08115.5W, 1 ADULT, 1 CALF, HDG S, USCG

Example WHALE ALERT text message format and content is exactly the same as the email message body for the respective sighting. For example:

13JAN2008, 10:58(L), 2947.5N 08115.5W, 1 ADULT, 1 CALF, HDG S

or

13JAN2008, 10:58(L), 2947.5N 08115.5W, 1 ADULT, 1 CALF, HDG S, USCG

Determining distance and bearing to the nearest sea buoy: Use the sighting distance excel spreadsheet to determine the distance (in nmi) and bearing to nearest sea buoy.

● If the sighting is less than 5 nmi from a sea buoy, the spreadsheet should give you a distance with one decimal.

● If the sighting is greater than 5 nmi from a sea buoy, the spreadsheet should round nmi to the nearest whole nmi.

Table 3. Additional information on formatting WHALE ALERT messages:

Message Component Notes To:, Cc:, versus Bcc: Use BCC not To: or Cc: to prevent misuse of sighting distribution lists.

Subject ● Begin with RI or HU WHALE ALERT

● Distance, bearing, and buoy name are obtained from the Sighting distance and bearing spreadsheet.

● (EWS or OTHER Identifier). See below for list of identifiers.

Message body ● Letters should be in all CAPS – check spelling!

● Delete Signature (if any)

● Make sure the email is in Plain Text

Table 4. List of Identifiers for use in subject line of WHALE ALERTs:

Source Entity Entity Abbreviation

EWS NOAA Funded Surveys GAWS, FLWS Marineland Right Whale Project aerial survey MLDA Marineland Right Whale Project MLD Marine Resource Council MRC University of North Carolina at Wilmington UNCW

OTHER Army Corps of Engineers dredge project DREDGE Navy NAVY Georgia Department of Natural Resources GDNR Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission FWC Coast Guard USCG Harbor Pilot PILOT NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service NOAA NMFS Duke Marine Lab DUKE Public PUBLIC

WHALE ALERT Corrections: If you make an error in a WHALE ALERT that has already been sent, you can issue a correction. The format of the email subject will change, but the format of the message itself will remain the same. Example subject line:

Subject: RI WHALE ALERT 3.2NM SE “STJ” (CORRECTION SEWS008)

Prior to issuing a correction, ask yourself: Will my correction make a significant difference to mariners? Use your best judgment.

Errors that may justify sending a correction:

● Incorrect Date

● Distance and bearing to sea buoy incorrect (general guideline, only correct if sighting is within 5 nmi of a sea buoy)

● Lat/Long (general guideline, only correct if more than a mile off)

Errors that likely do not justify sending a correction:

● Incorrect identifier (SEWS#)

● Incorrect Time

● Incorrect # of Whales

● Incorrect direction of travel

WHALE ALERT Requests: Requests to receive Whale Alerts should be submitted to nmfs.ser.rw.subscribe@noaa.gov.

Special Circumstances: Reporting and Alerts

For sightings/reports of dead, entangled, or severely injured whales:

1. Per normal right whale sighting protocol, send an alert to:

a. The distribution list that corresponds to the geographic bin in which the sighting occurred and

b. The ALL Sightings bin.

2. Call or text NMFS:

a. Kara Shervanick, 575-571-9037, or

b. Blair Mase 786-382-9585, or

c. A specified designee

Dynamic Management Areas (DMAs)

NMFS SER is responsible for declaring DMA’s when sightings of 3 or more right whales are sighted outside of an active Seasonal Management Area (SMA) in the Southeast region. Advise the Southeast Right Whale Coordinator via text message and email (and cc nmfs.ser.rw.noaacorps@noaa.gov) as soon as practicable when 3 or more right whales are sighted together outside of an active SMA.

Right Whale Sightings Mapper (i.e., WhaleMap)

At the end of each survey day, survey teams shall enter sightings data into www.WhaleMap.org or the applicable mapping system as directed by the Southeast Right Whale Coordinator.

Distressed or Dead Whales

Entangled Whales

To the extent possible, survey teams should become familiar with previously known entangled whales (current cases) and potential moms that may be presenting with scars from previous entanglements. If it is unclear whether a whale is actively entangled versus presenting with scars from a previous entanglement, survey teams should proceed as though the whale is entangled.

Aerial survey teams should remain onsite and visually track all entangled whales until a response team arrives or until instructed to stand down and resume survey. NMFS may request aerial survey teams to provide aerial support for disentanglement responses, relocating tagged entangled whales and other entanglement efforts.

mailto:nmfs.ser.rw.subscribe@noaa.gov http://www.whalemap.org

Upon sighting any known or suspected entangled whale, survey teams should:

1. Complete an assessment form with as much detail as possible, including the following:

a. Describe all key areas whether entangled or not (e.g., mouth, flippers, body, tail).

i. Note any wraps of lines around the rostrum, body or appendages. Wraps are lines that completely encircle a body part. Note if wraps are loose, constricting or appear embedded.

ii. Note any gear in addition to rope (e.g., traps, netting).

b. Describe any trailing line, specifically noting:

i. Number and length of lines (measured relative to the length of the whale),

ii. Point of origin of each trailing line,

iii. If trailing line generally visible at the surface (i.e., floating) or rarely visible (i.e., sinking or weighted rope), and

iv. Any gear attached to the trailing line(s).

c. Describe the whale’s body condition (weight, skin condition and color, presence of orange cyamids on the body).

2. Contact the ground contact with the following information:

a. Initial assessment of entanglement,

b. Location of entangled whale and sea conditions, and

c. Time remaining until the aircraft needs to depart for fuel or other reasons.

3. Ground contact will contact:

a. FWC and GDNR Response Teams:

i. FWC: Katie Jackson, 904-237-4220 or Tom Pitchford, 727-423-8430

ii. GDNR: Mark Dodd 912-506-7260 or Jess Thompson 912-269-7587

b. NMFS SER Representatives: Kara Shervanick, 575-571-9037 or Blair Mase 786-382-9585

4. Subsequent Aircraft Actions:

a. Remain onsite until a relief aircraft arrives or until a response team is on location with the whale and has confirmed they need no further assistance.

b. Text key photos to NMFS SER from the aircraft while onsite if possible, or immediately upon obtaining cellular service.

c. Upon return to base, arrange for photo upload to NMFS-provided e-mail distribution list (HeadsUp and Special email distribution lists).

Injured Whales

Survey teams should become familiar with known injured whales to the extent possible, including potential moms. Upon sighting a known or suspected injured whale, survey teams should:

1. Note all key areas and appearance of injury as well as weight, skin condition, color, and presence of orange cyamids on the body.

2. Contact the ground contact with the following information:

a. Initial assessment of injured whale,

b. Location of injured whale and sea conditions, and

c. Time remaining until the aircraft needs to depart for fuel or other reasons.

3. Ground contact will call NMFS (Kara Shervanick, 575-571-9037 or Blair Mase

786-382-9585).

Survey teams may be asked to remain onsite and visually track injured whales until a response team arrives.

Live Calf Strandings

NOAA Fisheries has a protocol for responding to live marine mammal strandings. As part of this protocol, if there is a live large whale calf stranding, aerial survey teams may be asked to search for adult females within 5 nmi of the stranding location.

Dead Whales and Other Marine Mammals

Upon sighting a known or suspected right whale carcass, survey teams should immediately contact Blair Mase 786-382-9585, followed by Kara Shervanick, 575-571-9037. For other dead marine mammals, immediately call the NMFS SER stranding pager (1-877-433-8299) with all observations and reports. Do not wait to verify a report prior to calling the pager. Information that should be supplied includes:

1. Species,

2. Carcass condition,

3. Lat/long in decimal degrees,

4. Current weather conditions, and

5. Time remaining until the aircraft needs to depart for fuel or other reasons.

Aerial survey teams should remain onsite with all right whales until instructed by NMFS to stand down or resume survey. NMFS may request aerial survey teams to provide aerial support for carcass recovery efforts, relocating carcasses or other stranding response activities.

Photos for Immediate Planning Purposes

To expedite planning and response efforts for dead, injured or entangled whales, survey teams should text representative images to their ground contact as soon as possible (recognizing delays may occur due to lack of cell phone coverage in some areas). Representative images are those that enable an assessment of the whale’s identity (catalog #) and the extent of the entanglement, injury, or carcass decomposition. Upon receipt, the ground contact should text images to NMFS immediately (Blair Mase 786-382-9585 and Kara Shervanick, 575-571-9037). Ground Contacts may be asked to convey other information between survey teams, NMFS and response teams.

Miscellaneous

Potential Violations of ESA or MMPA Regulations

Survey teams should submit all reports of potential violations of ESA regulations (e.g., 500 yard no-approach rule, vessel speed regulations, fishery regulations) promptly to kara.shervanick@noaa.gov and cc nmfs.ser.rw.noaacorps@noaa.gov. NMFS SER staff will work with NMFS Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) to determine the appropriate course of action.

Information on potential violation needed by NMFS:

1. Phone Number (Person filling out report; SER will update as needed)

2. Source (e.g., FWC or GDNR; SER will updated to "PRD" or "Other" as needed)

3. Location of Incident (GoMex, South Atlantic, Caribbean, Florida Keys or Other)

4. Date of Incident

5. Suspected Violation Type (ESA, MMPA, Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation &

Management Act, Lacey Act, Marine Sanctuary Act, Other, Unknown)

6. Do you have identifying information about a vessel, person, or business? (Yes or No)

7. Summary of Event (Provide a brief description of the event - Include any relevant hyperlinks or website information) During an event that may have potential law enforcement implications, keep in mind that aerial survey teams are observers/witnesses only. After the survey, download copies of photos for scientific use directly from the camera so the original images on the SD card are not modified (i.e., do not insert the SD card into a card reader, as this can alter the image metadata). Save the SD card containing the original photos, along with any original handwritten notes, in a labeled envelope to preserve chain of custody in case NMFS decides to investigate the event.

Derelict Vessels

If a survey plane sights a suspected derelict vessel, observers should fill out the form (Appendix

2) and relay the information to their ground contact. The ground contact will fill out an identical form and relay it to the appropriate USCG Sector Command Center. Observers should take photos and send them to the Command Center as soon as possible.

VHF Marine Radio

Aerial Survey Specific: Aerial survey teams frequently use marine radios to contact commercial ships, and recreational or scientific research vessels operating in proximity of right whales.

When using marine radios, aerial survey teams should:

1. Use VHF marine radio to communicate with vessels only when absolutely necessary.7

2. Use channel 82A for communicating with other EWS and right whale survey assets.

3. Assume the general boating public is listening.

4. Be professional and succinct. Do not broadcast well wishes like “good luck with those whales,” “have a good time with those whales,” etc.

5. When contacting a commercial ship, alert it of the whale’s location but do not provide recommendations on what direction to steer the ship (imagine advising the ship to steam into a sandbar).

6. Do not contribute to whale watching:

a. Avoid using specific and complete lat/longs to communicate whale locations.

7 Requested by USCG Sector Jacksonville during 2009/2010 EWS pre-season meeting.

b. Avoid using the word “whale,” when possible. Use descriptors like “target” when communicating with other whale research platforms.

Marine Radio Use, General: A key to efficient and professional use of marine radios is the use of procedure words, or prowords for short. These terms are a form of shorthand (Table 5).

Table 5. Marine radio procedure words and their meanings.

PROCEDURE WORD MEANING

OUT This is the end of my transmission to you. No answer is required or expected OVER This is the end of my transmission to you a response is expected. Go ahead and transmit. (Omit this procedure when it is clearly not needed).

ROGER I received your transmission ok.

WILCO Your last message has been received and understood, and will be complied with.

THIS IS This transmission is from the station whose name and call sign follows immediately.

FIGURES Figures or numbers follow, for example, “Vessel length is FIGURES two three feet.”

SPEAK SLOWER Your transmission is difficult to understand. Speak slower.

SAY AGAIN Repeat WORDS TWICE It is difficult to understand you. Give each phrase twice.

I SPELL I shall spell the next word phonetically. Used when a proper name is important in the message. “Boat Name is Martha. I spell – Mike, Alfa. Romeo, Tango, Hotel, Alfa.”

WAIT I must pause for a few seconds; stand by for further transmission.

AFFIRMATIVE You are correct, or, what you have transmitted is correct.

NEGATIVE No

To call another survey platform or station, the proper procedure should be as follows:

1. Listen for any transmissions already occurring.

2. When no transmissions are ongoing, SAY VESSEL NAME for example: “R/V Hurricane

… This is R/V Orion … Over.”

3. Do not call a station for more than 30 seconds at a time. If there is no response, wait 2 minutes and try again. After the third attempt to make contact, wait 15 minutes before trying again. After making contact, switch to a working channel and send your message.

Deliverables

Prior to Commencing Surveys

1. FAA Form 8410-1 for each pilot flying under this contract.

2. Documentation that aircraft proposed for use under this contract are carried on list required by 14 CFR 135.63

3. Confirmation that all observers are in compliance with training requirements listed in

“Observer Training and Safety Equipment” above.

Performance Records and Weekly Reports

During aerial surveys, Google spreadsheets will be made available at the beginning of the season and maintained on Google Drive by each aerial survey team for sighting summaries, survey performance and personnel time. Data may be entered daily, but no later than on Wednesday for work performed through the previous Saturday. The following information shall be provided in “Weekly Reports” for the previous Sunday through Saturday by survey teams:

1. Survey Performance

a. Planned transects to be flown

b. Actual transects that were flown

c. Reason for actual lines flown

d. No. of NARW, HUWH, and other large whale sightings.

e. Other comments: Notes on right whale-related items of interest including number of mother/calves observed to date, close call information, management related concerns, general observations (e.g., “It was very windy this week, so we flew only a few surveys”) including natural history observations or any other information as requested by the Southeast Right Whale Coordinator

2. Personnel Time: The following information shall be reported in weekly increments used for timekeeping purposes, for NOAA-contracted surveys only.

a. Reporting period

b. Names, title, and number of man-hours of each of the Contractor’s professional personnel assigned to the contract, including officials of the Contractor, and such additional information, findings and recommendations as may assist the Government in evaluating progress under this contract.

c. Hours worked shall be broken out in the following duties: flight hours, stand by, data handling, training, photo-identification, administration, and Ground Contact.

3. Sighting Summary: A separate Google spreadsheet of all right whale sightings (sightings spreadsheet) shall be maintained and include the following:

a. Date,

b. Time (local),

c. Survey name,

d. Latitude and longitude (in decimal degrees),

e. RIWH letter (from photography datasheets),

f. Field ID (and NARWC Id number as this information becomes available from the

NARWC manager),

g. Time whale alert was sent,

h. Whale Alert number, and

i. Comments (to include information such as w/ calf or calf).

The sightings spreadsheet shall be routinely updated and no later than on Wednesday for work performed through the previous Saturday. Weekly reports will be submitted as specified by the NMFS Southeast Right Whale Coordinator.

End of Season

1. Final Report Contents – The following information shall be included in the final report:

a. Number of flights flown – specify as number of full and partial surveys, including number of days when surveys were not flown;

b. The number and identification (temporary/season codes or catalog id) of right whales observed during the surveys conducted under contract being reported on, including age, sex, and reproductive status (if known);

c. Number of entangled whales observed, and summaries of incidents;

d. Number and description of injured and dead whales observed;

e. Number of whale/vessel interactions observed, including incident summaries; and

f. Number of humpback and other large whale sightings recorded.

2. Data Deliverables

a. Aerial survey sighting and event data shall be submitted to Katie Jackson (FWC) at katharine.jackson@noaa.gov and NMFS SER.

b. Right whale photo-identification data shall be submitted to the New England

Aquarium and NMFS SER.

c. Data submitted to NMFS SER will be submitted as specified by the NMFS

Southeast Right Whale Coordinator.

mailto:katharine.jackson@noaa.gov

Appendix 1. Example of form used to schedule FACSFAC Jacksonville-controlled airspace.

FACSFAC Jacksonville OPAREA Request Form Please email to FACSFAC_JAXS_SKEDS@navy.mil or fax to (904) 542-2525

DATE AND TIME OF REQUEST:

COMMAND:

POINT OF CONTACT:

POC UNCLASSIFIED EMAIL:

POC PHONE NUMBER:

AFTER HOURS PHONE NUMBER (CDO, SDO, ETC):

REQUESTED EVENT #1 REQUESTED EVENT #2

(THIS LINE TO BE FILLED IN BY

FACSFACJAX SCHEDULES)

EVENT # EVENT #

DATE(S) OF REQUESTED EVENT 01DEC15 – 31MAR16

START & STOP TIME OF REQUESTED EVENT (ZULU) 1400-2300 (ZULU) Daily

TYPE OF AIRCRAFT (i.e. P-3C, SH-60R, F-18C) Cessna 337 SkyMaster

NUMBER OF AIRCRAFT PARTICIPATING 1

EVENT TYPE (i.e. GUNNEX, ASW) SURV

OPAREA (i.e. W-157A, etc)

W-135, W-136B, W-136C, W-136E, W-136F, W-137B, W-137C, W-137D, W-137E, W-137F, W137G, W137L, 27C

AIRSPACE (i.e. 4X/5Y)

RANGE(S) if applicable (i.e. R2910, 2906)

ALTITUDE BLOCK/DEPTH REQUESTED

(include block floor and ceiling)

1,000 AGL

AMMUNITIONS

(i.e. .50 cal, 7.62mm, MK-82, live/inert)

N/A

WILL LASERS BE…