FY21 living marine resources (LMR) program environmental need topics

The purpose of this requirement is for a research project to study marine mammal
behavior response to Low-Frequency Active (LFA) Sonar in support of Naval Facilities
Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare
Center (EXWC), Environmental, Living Marine Resources (LMR) Program.
To remain in compliance, the U.S. Navy is required to assess the potential impacts to
marine species from training and testing activities. Since acoustic stimuli from use of
Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) LFA sonar during training and
testing has the potential to cause harassment of marine mammals, there is a need to study
and collect new data on these potential effects, with a priority towards understanding
behavioral response to the LFA source. The goal of this effort is to update previous studies
done with LFA sources circa 1990s based on lessons learned and best practices from
controlled and observational behavioral response studies using other sonar sources
conducted over the last 10 years.
The Phase I feasibility study will investigate the best approach to designing a scientific
study to assess behavioral response to LFA sonar. This will involve discussions with the
program managers about identifying Navy participation, availability of sources, and
developing a final plan to conduct a study to collect data to best characterize behavioral
responses to LFA sonar.

The Period of Performance is from 29 October to 31 December 2022.

Awarded contract N39430-22-P-2403 to Foundation For Marine Ecology And Telemetry Research for 38345.00 on 2021-10-29.