Attachment 2_EWS Aerial Survey Protocols ver 2018_2019.docx

Attachment 2-2019 EWS Aerial Survey Protocols

Early Warning System Aerial Survey Protocols[footnoteRef:1] [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.]

Ver. 2017_2018

Observer Training and Safety Equipment Aircraft Related Items Mode III Transponder Codes from EADS FACSFACJAX Aerial Survey Coordination Automated Flight Following Data Matters Data Collection Error-Checking Data Data Storage and Submission Collaboration Between Survey Teams Information Sharing Survey Zones and Transects Communication Morning E-mails Dredges Submarines Right Whale Observed in River Alarming Mariner Behavior Around Right Whales Completing and Submitting WVI Forms Media, Reports, and Publications Reporting Whale Sightings Issuing a Whale Alert (Sighting) Special Circumstances: Reporting and Alerts Dynamic Management Areas (DMAs) Mandatory Ship Reporting System Right Whale Sightings Mapper Distressed or Dead Whales Entangled Whales Injured Whales Live Calf Stranding Dead Whales and Other Marine Mammals Miscellaneous Derelict Vessels VHF Marine Radio Deliverables Beginning of Season Performance Records End of Season Completing and Submitting WVI Forms

Observer Training and Safety Equipment

Contracts specify aircraft, crew, and safety equipment and training required for flying NOAA-related right whale aerial surveys in the Southeast U.S. Safety training requirements may be found at http://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/ames/administrative_orders/chapter_209/209-124.html. Standards are consistent with or exceed NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 209-124 and include:

Training:

1) Annual Training:

a. “Aviation Safety and Survival” and “Aviation Health” training modules are available in the EWS Google Drive under “Protocols” > “Aviation Safety Training” > “Annual NOAA E-Learning Slides” All observers must provide a signed statement of video completion. Forward training records as follows:

· Teams flying aboard Non-NOAA aircraft: forwarding to NMFS SE Right Whale Recovery Program Coordinator and co-located NOAA Corps officer by email via the team leader.

· Teams flying aboard NOAA aircraft[footnoteRef:2]: forward to NOAA AOC Programs Liaison. [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]

b. Online Videos. View “Survival Kits: Rafts and Accessories” and “Surviving on Open Water” on https://www.faa.gov/tv/. Provide a signed statement of video completion to NMFS SE Right Whale Recovery Program Coordinator and co-located NOAA Corps officer by email via team leader.

c. Other Video. View an emergency aircraft abandonment video. Videos are commercially available for purchase or can be borrowed from the SE Right Whale Recovery Program office. Provide a signed statement of video completion to NMFS SE Right Whale Recovery Program Coordinator and co-located NOAA Corps officer by email. This is an annual requirement for all over the water operations in between 5 year classroom.

2) Every Five Years:

a. Water Ditching and Safety & Survival Training. A listing of possible training vendors can be found on the EWS Google Drive under “Protocols” > “Aviation Safety Training.” Provide certification of course completion to NMFS SE Right Whale Recovery Program Coordinator and co-located NOAA Corps officer by email.

Safety Equipment:

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

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 each aerial survey:

Both teams will request their own codes from EADS. Email Joe Bassett, Assistant Air Defense Manager at joseph.c.bassett.civ@mail.mil FACSFACJAX Aerial Survey Coordination

1) If survey aircraft will be flying in a Navy operation area, 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." Instructions for scheduling the airspace state: "Specify corner coordinates of aerial survey zone and request the airspace for the entire calving season."

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

b) 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 survey 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 bang list.

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

December 2014 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):

(THIS LINE TO BE FILLED IN BY

FACSFACJAX SCHEDULES)

EVENT #

EVENT #

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

ASSETS REQUESTED

(i.e. LEAR Services) N/A

STATE EXERCISE EVENT SUPPORTS

(i.e. C2X, JTFEX)

IMPACT TO UNIT’S READINESS IF REQUESTED SERVICES ARE DISAPPROVED:

AMPLIFYING REMARKS (include aerial refueling platforms if applicable):

SCHEDULED BY:

REASON FOR DISAPPROVAL (if applicable):

4) NARW Survey transects overlap or are otherwise situated to OPAREAs/SOAs as follows

Automated Flight Following During emergency responses and other miscellaneous occasions, it is helpful to know where planes and vessels are in real time. Please provide automated flight following and vessel tracking information to NOAA right whale program personnel via email prior to the start of the survey season. Instructions for Automated Flight Following can be found in the EWS protocols folder.

Data Matters 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 Database (NARWD), University of Rhode Island (URI)[footnoteRef:3],. However, final data collection and formatting requirements shall be determined by the needs of the Government and may vary from that of the NARWD if requested and specified by NMFS within these protocols. [3: Robert D. Kenney, "The North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium Database: A Guide for Users and Contributors Revised Edition. North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium Reference Document 2018-01. October 2011. 133 pp. https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.narwc.org/uploads/1/1/6/6/116623219/kenney_2018_narwc_users_guide__v_4_.pdf]

Data Collection

1. Data shall be collected similarly between SE air 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 aircraft wings are leveled (i.e., bank angle close to zero, wings parallel to the horizon), both observers are looking for whales, and the plane is over water. Specify “Off Track” for all other occasions –including when an aerial survey team is transiting to a reported whale location or to provide support for a disentanglement operation. Crosslegs between transects 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 along the track line and when whales are sighted.

6. Sea state determinations. Consistency between teams relative to sea state determinations is critical. Aerial survey team leaders shall participate in one flight at the beginning of the season to calibrate sea state calls between teams.

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

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

b. Number 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 1.5 miles 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 miles of the plane.

f. Digital photographs to identify individual right whales when such effort does not compromise the primary mission of completing designated EWS MOA tracklines.

g. “Near-miss” circumstances between right whales and vessels or illegal close approaches to right whales (Whale-Vessel Interactions).

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

i. Any commercial fishing pot or trap gear buoys (distance from shore, gear type, spacing between, color)

8. Data shall be collected consistently between teams. That is, the same fields and formats shall be used by all team using the same platform. Aerial survey team leaders should coordinate between themselves to accomplish this, but final table and field format should be approved by the NOAA Fisheries’ SE Right Whale Recovery Program Coordinator.

a. Time format. Please use UTC (GMT) for aerial survey data submitted to FWC. NEAq may require photo ID data be submitted in local time.

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. Please 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

a) Because data is the heart of aerial surveys, it's crucial to protect it. Implement a data backup and recovery plan. Backing up files can protect against accidental loss of user data, database corruption, hardware failures, and even natural disasters. It's your job as a team leader to make sure that backups are performed routinely to insure zero data loss and that backup media are stored in a secure location.

b) Survey teams shall submit data to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (Tim Gowan) by the timeline specified in project documents (e.g. grant and contract scopes of work) and as follows:

(1) Data from each survey day shall be compiled into a single MS Access data table.

(2) Naming convention for data tables shall be TEAMYYYYMMDD.

(3) All survey-day data tables for the season shall be saved into a single MS Access data file which will be name with the convention: TEAMYYYY.mdb.

(4) All data shall be checked for human-related data entry errors and all such errors eliminated (the FWC will provide QA/QC services for SE survey teams). Note: do not change GPS-entered data.

(5) Data should be accompanied by NARWD 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.

c) Photo ID Data: The Contractor shall generally adhere to data collection and formatting requirements for photo Identification (ID) data and photographs as specified by the North Atlantic Right Whale Catalogue (NARWC) manager[footnoteRef:4]. However, final data collection, formatting, and submission requirements for Photo ID data shall be determined by the needs of the Government and may vary from that of the NARWC if specified by NMFS. Images submitted to SERO should be copies of original image files (i.e. not resized or otherwise manipulated) and stored by survey date. [4: New England Aquarium, "Data and Photographic Submission to the North Atlantic Right Whale Photographic Database," November 2013, 68pp.http://www.narwc.org/pdf/photosubmissionguide.pdf ]

Collaboration Between Survey Teams Information Sharing Each season, GDNR will set up and share an sighting collaboration folder, SEUS Right Whales, on 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.

Survey Zones and Transects Prior to each season, a “universe” of transects will be identified. This area incorporates the universe of lines that will be sampled or flown during the course of the calving season. The universe of lines will be typically identified in November and related files are available on Google Drive in the Protocols>Survey Zones/Lines folder.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will generate either weekly or bi-monthly predictions of where right whales are likely to be found. Actual set of survey lines to be flown will be selected from the universe of lines based on the models and will need to be mutually agreed upon by collaborating survey teams. Any disagreements or points of confusion should be brought to the attention of the right whale coordinator.

Communication Morning E-mails Each morning, aerial survey team leaders should send an e-mail communicating aerial survey area, take off time, pilots (PIC and SIC), 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, Katie

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

Dredges[footnoteRef:5] [5: This guidance is consistent with 1995/1997 Hopper Dredge SARBO and 2009 Mayport Channel Dredging for Homeporting Naval Vessels.]

Contact dredge project vessels via VHF radio channel 16 or 13 only if a whale is within 1 nautical mile 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)[footnoteRef:6]. Send a text message to dredges in your survey area if the aerial survey will not be flown on a particular day due to low visibility (e.g.fog) or sea states greater than Beaufort 3. [6: FYI -dredges and project support vessels will obtain EWS sightings from the EWS sighting alert system (pager, text message, e-mail, etc.).]

Submarines[footnoteRef:7] [7: Verified with LT Avila for 2015/2016 season.]

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

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

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 2nm 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 1nm 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 Whale Observed in River If an aerial survey team observes a right whale in a river or between a set of jetties bordering an inlet (i.e. restricted maneuverability for large vessels and not typically a location where whales are located), the aerial survey team should immediately notify the USCG Command Center. Identify yourselves as a whale aerial survey team working for NOAA. USCG will dispatch a vessel if one is available. Survey planes can coordinate with USCG vessels directly via marine band radio on VHF Channel 22A, or another working VHF frequency to be determined at the time.

Alarming Mariner Behavior Around Right Whales Aerial survey teams may desire to notify law enforcement immediately if they observe an intentional, flagrant close approach (<500 yards) to right whales or perceived speeding incident and the team is concerned about the welfare of animals or people. To notify law enforcement, the ground contact should immediately call USCG Command Center and state law enforcement. Identify yourselves as a whale aerial survey team working for NOAA or state. Provide information on vessel and observation. Phone numbers for USCG Command Center and state law enforcement are located on the EWS Contact Sheet.

During an event that may have potential law enforcement implications, please keep in mind that aerial survey teams are observers/witnesses only. Record date and time, take photographs (but don’t delete any photographs later such that the sequence of photos is interrupted). 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

Burn photographs to a cd and finalize the cd (so no additional changes are possible) and mail to the SERO’s Right Whale Recovery Program Coordinator.

Completing and Submitting WVI Forms Standardized forms should be completed and e-mailed to FWC and NMFS SE Right Whale Recovery Program Coordinator within 24 hours of an “urgent” event (see below) or within 72 hours of a non-urgent event.

Please include the following in the Subject of the e-mail: Whale/Vessel Interaction: [yyyymmdd].

Please place “Urgent” in the subject line immediately preceding “Whale/Vessel Interaction yyyymmdd if you view the incident as an important one that NOAA Fisheries’ SE Right Whale Coordinator should consider forwarding to LE immediately, or if the event involves a federal vessel.

Media, Reports, and Publications Please acknowledge the appropriate funding sources in all media interviews, reports, and publications. Consult contracts and grants regarding other language that pertains to NOAA Fisheries Service technical publications or publications in peer-reviewed literature.

Additional notes regarding media.

· Please notify the SERO’s Right Whale Recovery Program Coordinator if you are contacted by the media for an interview and what topics you discussed.

· Please do not distribute cell or home phone numbers to the media without prior permission from the individual that the number belongs to.

Reporting Whale Sightings

Issuing a Whale Alert (Sighting) To the extent possible, report sightings via a non-marine radio means to a ground contact for subsequent distribution to WHALESSOUTH MSR data entry portal (see Mandatory Ship Reporting section below) and email distribution list (see below) in near-real time.

1) Send emails to two distribution lists:

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

b. The All Sightings bin

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

2) Determining Distance and Bearing to Sea Buoy

a. Use the sighting distance excel spreadsheet to determine the distance and bearing to nearest sea buoy.

i. If the sighting is less than 5NM from a sea buoy, the spreadsheet should give you a distance with one decimal. Report the NM in this format.

ii. If the sighting is greater than 5NM from a sea buoy, the spreadsheet should round NM to the nearest whole NM. Report the Nm in this format.

3) WHALE ALERT Formats (RI = right whale, HU = humpback whale):

a. For sighting from an EWS Entity:

To:

Cc:

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

b. For sighting from an OTHER entity:

To:

Cc:

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

c. Correcting Errors in WHALE ALERTs If you make an error in your WHALE ALERT, 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: 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.

Likely reasons to send a correction:

· Incorrect Date

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

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

Likely reasons to NOT send a correction page:

· Incorrect identifier (SEWS#)

· Incorrect Time

· Incorrect # of Whales

· Incorrect direction of travel

Amplifying information on formatting a WHALE ALERT Message:

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

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

· Delete Signature (if any)

· Make sure the email is in Plain Text

List of Identifiers for use in subject line of WHALE ALERTs:

4) 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) 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) Barb Zoodsma (904)415-3960, or

b) Blair Mase (786)382-9585, or

c) A specified designee NMFS will issue special circumstance alerts, as appropriate, to the HEADSUP, and SPECIAL lists.

Dynamic Management Areas (DMAs) Advise NOAA Fisheries Service’ SERO (Right Whale Recovery Program Coordinator or Right Whale Maritime Liaison NOAA Corps Officer) via text message and email as soon as practicable when three or more right whales are sighted together outside of a Seasonal Management Area (SMA). SERO is responsible for declaring and reporting the DMA’s.

Mandatory Ship Reporting System Aerial survey teams are responsible for entering confirmed right whale sightings (located within the WHALESSOUTH Mandatory Ship Reporting System area) into the Real Time Return Message. Sightings should be entered in near real time. NOAA Fisheries Service’ SERO (Right Whale Recovery Program Coordinator or Right Whale Maritime Liaison NOAA Corps Officer) will enter and remove DMA-related information and provide log-in information for aerial survey teams.

Mandatory Ship Reporting System website address: https://www.rightwhalesmsr.aoml.noaa.gov/index.php/login.html

Login to the MSR website and click on “MSR specific messages” on the left side of the page.

On the “MSR specific messages” page, navigate to the WhalesSouth message box toward the bottom of the page. Enter new sighting information into the white message box that says “Enter new messages here…”

To retain previous sightings and append in new sightings, first copy the blue text from the Current Message and paste it in the white message box. Then, enter your new sighting information.

Correcting messages: copy the current message to the form entry, correct it if necessary, and then click "Update"

Message formats should not deviate from those presented below, unless first authorized by SERO’s Right Whale Recovery Program Coordinator or Right Whale Maritime Liaison Officer.

1) Real Time Return Message: Sighting-specific information.

a) Aerial survey teams will enter and remove sighting-related information.

b) Sightings should be ordered by latitude on subsequent lines with northern-most sightings listed first.

c) Example:

3110N 08055W @ 1352(L) 18JAN10

3043N 08122W @ 1352(L) 18JAN10

3041N 08108W @ 1050(L) 18JAN10

d) Retain sightings in the system for 24 hours[footnoteRef:8]. [8: To avoid overburdening the mariner searching for recent sightings, and mariners report that sighting intelligence is considered good for one hour.]

2) Real Time Return Message: DMA-Specific Language.

a) NOAA Fisheries SERO will enter and remove DMA-related information.

b) Example:

MARINERS ARE REQUESTED TO TRANSIT AT 10 KNOTS OR LESS IF UNABLE TO AVOID THE FOLLOWING DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT AREA:

PONCE DE LEON INLET DMA

NORTHERN BOUNDARY 2936N/08048W TO SHORE

SOUTHERN BOUNDARY 2851N/08036W TO SHORE

c) DMA-specific language will be positioned prior to sighting-related language.

3) Real Time Return Message: No DMAs and No Sightings.

a) A suitable place-holder for periods when right whales have not been observed due to poor weather, etc., and when a DMA is not in place is “Right whales are active throughout the WHALESSOUTH reporting area.”

b) Example:

RIGHT WHALES ARE ACTIVE THROUGHOUT THE WHALESSOUTH REPORTING AREA.

4) Real Time Return Message: Bridge Language and Formatting.

Bridge language/formatting refer to language/formatting that is used to transition from one portion of the message to another.

a) Aerial survey teams and NOAA Fisheries SERO will work collaboratively to ensure the appropriate bridge language is applied as messages are modified.

b) If there is only sighting-specific information in the outgoing message:

i) Delete the line “WHALES ARE ACTIVE IN THE WHALESSOUTH REPORTING AREA.”

ii) “Right whales have been sighted at:” should be entered immediately preceding the sighting information.

iii) Example:

RIGHT WHALES HAVE BEEN SIGHTED AT:

3110N 08055W @ 1352(L) 18JAN10

3043N 08122W @ 1352(L) 18JAN10

3041N 08108W @ 1050(L) 18JAN10

c) If there is only DMA-specific information in the outgoing message:

i) “Additionally, right whales are active throughout the WHALESSOUTH reporting area” should be entered immediately following the DMA message.

ii) Example:

MARINERS ARE REQUESTED TO TRANSIT AT 10 KNOTS OR LESS IF UNABLE TO AVOID THE FOLLOWING DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT AREA:

PONCE DE LEON INLET DMA

NORTHERN BOUNDARY 2936N/08048W TO SHORE

SOUTHERN BOUNDARY 2851N/08036W TO SHORE

ADDITIONALLY, RIGHT WHALES ARE ACTIVE THROUGHOUT THE WHALESSOUTH REPORTING AREA

d) If there is DMA- and Sighting-specific information in the outgoing message:

i) A blank line will be inserted between DMA and sighting-related information.

ii) “Additional right whales were sighted at:” will be entered in the line immediately preceding the sighting information.

iii) Example:

MARINERS ARE REQUESTED TO TRANSIT AT 10 KNOTS OR LESS IF UNABLE TO AVOID THE FOLLOWING DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT AREA:

PONCE DE LEON INLET DMA

NORTHERN BOUNDARY 2936N/08048W TO SHORE

SOUTHERN BOUNDARY 2851N/08036W TO SHORE

ADDITIONAL RIGHT WHALES WERE SIGHTED AT:

3110N 08055W @ 1352(L) 18JAN10

3043N 08122W @ 1352(L) 18JAN10

3041N 08108W @ 1050(L) 18JAN10

3041N 08108W @ 1050(L) 18JAN10

iv) A blank line will be inserted between DMA and sighting-related information.

Aerial survey team leaders should monitor the Southern Area Real Time Message for quality control purposes.

Right Whale Sightings Mapper Authorized users (survey teams) log on to https://fish.nefsc.noaa.gov/rightwhalesight/SASreportSE.php

Regions:

Enter sightings south of 36°35’N (Florida to North Carolina). Any right whale sightings north of 36°35’N (Virginia to Canada) should be passed along to the Northeast region 978.585.NOAA

Enter Right Whale Sightings

· Sighting Date – date of the sighting in the format 01-May-2012

· Sighting Time – time of the sighting in military format with no colons (if unknown, enter 0000)

· Category – the type of platform that observed the whale(s). Most are self-explanatory.

· ’Dedicated Eg Shipboard’ is used for dedicated right whale surveys only. If the Georgia DNR is out on the water for another purpose, it would be ‘Opportunistic’.

· Use the category ‘US Coast Guard’ only if they observed the sighting; not if they are just passing along a report that they received from a commercial or fishing vessel.

· Latitude and Longitude – can be entered as degrees minutes or decimal degrees (by leaving the minutes field blank); do not use a minus sign for longitude values. If you use degrees minutes, the minutes field can accommodate a decimal (i.e., 56.3)

· Behavior – check appropriate boxes for behavior category (i.e., sag, mom/calf, etc.). If you desire to include additional details, you can do it in the comments below (ID of a dead/entangled whale or something like that for example)

· Species Certainty – enter certainty of species identification (i.e., definite, probable, unknown). Only sightings that are definite or probable will display on the Google map.

· Group size – enter the minimum number (i.e., if you think there were 5-6 whales, enter “5”)

· Observer/Reporter – choose the platform and organization of the observer (and reporter if different) from the drop down list. If it is not listed, choose “Other” and write in the “Comments” field.

· Observer = the person who actually saw the whale (i.e., someone who was on the boat)

· Reporter = the person who entered the sighting online

· Action – Leave this field set to the default ‘Action Unknown’ (it will be updated later by SERO)

· Whale Alert ID – if you notice that your sighting is a duplicate entered by another person already (similar location within 12 hours), then enter the Whale Alert ID number (can be found by clicking on the whale tail on the Google map).

· Comments – Include the names and contact information of the observer / reporter if not on the drop down list; include any other descriptive text or details. Do not use any single quotes (‘ ‘) in the Comments field.

Check all information carefully, click the “Submit” button, then double check on the map.

Verify Sightings

· Click the “View/Edit Records” button in the lower left, and verify that your sighting went into the database and that the information is accurate

· Check that your sightings show up on the map and plot in a logical spot (not on land). Select “In the last 2 weeks” or another convenient search criteria and click “Map”

· If you need to make any changes to sighting records, use the online editing tool which can be brought up from the link that says “View/Edit Records” at the bottom of the input website.

Distressed or Dead Whales Entangled Whales To the extent possible, please become familiar with previously known entangled whales (current cases) and probable moms that may be presenting scars from previous entanglements. If in doubt, and an entangled or possibly entangled whale (entanglement suspected due to scars) is observed; treat the sighting similar to a sighting of a previously unknown entangled whale. A response team will be dispatched if possible.

NOAA will inform USCG (Sector Jacksonville) and Navy of planned disentanglement events prior to any on-water efforts.

1) Sighting of a Previously UNKNOWN Entangled Whale

a) Complete an assessment form with as much detail as possible, including the following:

i) Describe all key areas whether entangled or not (eg. mouth, flippers, body, tail)

ii) General health assessment: weight, skin condition and color, parasites

iii) Be conservative about using the term wrap

(1) Wrap: a line that completely encircles a body part

(2) Differentiate between constricting/tight wraps and loose wraps

iv) Describe trailing gear, specifically noting:

(1) Number and length of lines

(2) Point of origin of the trailing line

(3) Floating or sinking

(4) Gear observed

b) Contact Ground Contact with the following information:

i) Initial assessment of entanglement

ii) Location of entangled whale and sea conditions

iii) Aircraft duration

c) Ground Contact will contact:

i) First Response Team

(1) FL: Tom Pitchford, (727) 423-8430 or Katie Jackson, (904) 237-4220

ii) GA: Clay George, (912) 269-7587 or Mark Dodd (912) 506-7260

iii) NMFS SER Representative: Barb Zoodsma, (904) 415-3960

iv) SEFSC Stranding Coordinator 1-877-433-8299.

d) Subsequent Aircraft Actions:

i) Remain onsite until relief aircraft arrives or until first response team is on location with whale and needs no further assistance.

ii) Return to base for photo upload to NOAA Fisheries Service-provided e-mail distribution list (HeadsUp and Special email bang lists).

Injured Whales Please become familiar with known injured whales, to the extent possible –including probable moms that may be injured.

5) Note all key areas and appearance of injury as well as weight, skin condition, color, and parasites.

2) Contact Ground Contact with the following information:

a) Initial assessment of injured

b) Location of injured whale and sea conditions

c) Aircraft duration

6) Ground Contact will Call Barb Zoodsma at (904) 415-3960.

Live Calf Stranding NOAA Fisheries has a protocol for responding to live marine mammal strandings. As part of this protocol, aerial survey teams may be asked to search for adult females within 5 nautical miles of the stranding location.

Dead Whales and Other Marine Mammals Immediately call the SER stranding pager (1-877-433-8299) with all observations and reports of dead marine mammals. Please do not wait to verify a report prior to calling the pager.

Information to be supplied includes:

1. Species

2. Carcass condition

3. Lat/long in decimal degrees

4. Current weather conditions

5. Aircraft duration

The aerial survey team should thoroughly photo document the carcass and then continue on with their survey (for non-right whales). However, assistance may be needed in relocating the carcass at a later time if NOAA Fisheries is interested in relocating the carcass for any reason (towing, biopsy sample, etc.).

Miscellaneous

Derelict Vessels If a survey plane sights a suspected derelict vessel, observers should fill out the form and relay the information to their ground contact. Ground contact will fill out an identical form and relay it to USCG Sector Jacksonville Command Center. Observers should take photos and send to Sector Jacksonville as soon as possible.

VHF Marine Radio

1) 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:

· Use VHF marine radio to communicate with vessels only when absolutely necessary.[footnoteRef:9] [9: Requested by USCG Sector Jacksonville during 2009/2010 EWS pre-season meeting.]

· Use channel 82A for necessary EWS (government) coordination

· Assume the general boating public is listening.

· Be professional.

· Do not broadcast well wishes like “good luck with those whales,” “have a good time with those whales,” etc.

· 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 sand bar).

· Do not contribute to whale watching

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

· Avoid using the word “whale,” if possible. Perhaps use other descriptors (e.g. target?)

2) 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 words are a form of shorthand.

Table x. Marine radio procedure words and their meanings.

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

1. Listen for any transmissions already occurring.

2. When no transmissions are ongoing, SAY SHIPS NAME for example … “R/V Hurricane” This is “R/V Orion” Over.

There are other words in common use that sound like prowords, but accomplish nothing. For example “Negative contact. This is [boat name], out.” This is meaningless as anyone listening knows there was no contact and the unnecessary announcement could have masked another call.

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 Beginning of Season

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. See Observer Training and Safety Equipment for other requirements.

Performance Records 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 reported for the previous Sunday through Saturday by each team:

1. Survey Performance

· Planned transects to be flown

· Actual transects that were flown

· Reason for actual lines flown

· No. of NARW, HUWH, and other lg whale sightings.

· 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 Right Whale Coordinator

2. Personnel Time The following information shall be reported in weekly increments used for timekeeping purposes:

· Reporting period

· 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.

· Hours worked shall be broken out in the following duties: flight hours, stand by, data handling, training, photo ID, 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: date, time (local), survey name, latitude (in decimal degrees), longitude (in decimal degrees), RIWH letter (from photography datasheets), Field ID (and NARWC Id number as this information becomes available from the NARWC manager), time whale alert was sent, Whale Alert number and 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.

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

f) Number of humpback and other large whale sightings recorded

2) Data Deliverables Data deliverables for SERO shall be submitted on an external hard drive.

RECORD OF CHANGES TO EWS PROTOCOLS

Training Added figure

Added red: within 24 hours of an “urgent” event (see below) or within 72 hours of a non-urgent event

MA

MMPA

Massachusetts Marine Mammal Protection Act

SE

SERO

Southeast Southeast Regional Office

Acronyms and Abbreviations Used image2.jpg image3.png image4.png image5.png image6.png image1.jpg