This report documents the findings of a pilot study conducted in 2013 to investigate the efficacy of ground-based surveys as a potential alternative to, or in supplementation of, aerial surveys in detecting strandings of marine mammals and sea turtles (MM/ST) on remote shorelines, in this case the island of Ni‘ihau. In this study, aerial (helicopter) and ground-based (vehicle and horseback) shoreline surveys were conducted concurrently in order to compare the efficacy of each method. Observers scanned the shorelines of Kauai and Ni‘ihau, adjacent to PMRF, for stranded and near-stranded marine mammals and sea turtles within one week after an SCC training event that involved mid-frequency active sonar in August 2013.

Navy Marine Species Observers (MSOs) monitored UNDET training exercises at the Pu‘uloa Underwater Range, located west of the Pearl Harbor entrance channel, on 2 and 4 April 2013. The intent of the exercises was to provide training in precision cutting for harbor clearance or salvage. The primary purpose of the MSO presence was to monitor mitigation measures conducted by Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 1 (MDSU-1); however, visual surveys were also conducted opportunistically.

Ecological acoustic recorders (EARs) have been deployed around the islands of Oahu and Kauai in a project sponsored by the Office of Naval Research. Detailed information on the EAR was published by Lammers et al. (2008). EARs have been deployed from February, 2009 to the present time around Oahu and from February, 2009 until April, 2011 around Kauai. From April, 2011 four EARs in the waters of Kauai have been deployed along the southern coast.

In August 2017, a marine mammal monitoring project was carried out combining boat-based field efforts and passive acoustic monitoring on and around the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF). Commander, Pacific Fleet (PACFLT) funded five days of small-boat effort and the National Marine Fisheries Service funded an additional six days of effort. Information obtained was compared to previous sightings during small-boat effort by Cascadia Research Collective (CRC) off Kauai and Niihau, during 1,119 hr of effort (19,194 km) over nine different years from 2003 through 2016 (see Baird 2016)

A joint project in February 2015 on and around the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) was carried out utilizing combined boat-based field efforts and passive acoustic monitoring from the Marine Mammal Monitoring on Navy Ranges (M3R) system. There were 1,132 kilometers (63.4 hours [hr]) of small-vessel survey effort over the course of the 13-day project. Weather conditions precluded field operations on 4 days, and strong westerly winds and/or range operations limited access to PMRF on seven additional days, with only 15.1 percent of search time (9.6 hr) spent within the range boundaries.

As part of the long-term United States (U.S.) Navy-funded Marine Species Monitoring Program, from 5-13 August 2023, Cascadia Research Collective (CRC) carried out a vessel-based field effort in conjunction with passive acoustic monitoring undertaken by U.S. Navy (Navy) scientists on and around the underwater hydrophone ranges of the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF).

As part of an assessment of habitat use and movements of odontocetes being undertaken in the western half of the main Hawaiian Islands (see Baird et al. 2011, 2012), field operations funded by Commander, U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet were undertaken off of Kaua‘i in January 2012. There were two primary goals of these operations: 1) providing species verification for acoustic detections by the Marine Mammal Monitoring on Navy Ranges (M3R) project on the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) hydrophone range (see Moretti et al. 2012); and 2) deploying satellite tags prior to a Submarine Commanders Course (SCC) training event to be undertaken off Kaua‘i in February 2012.

Although considerable information is available on residency patterns and spatial use of odontocetes in the eastern half of the Hawai‘i Range Complex (HRC), much less is known about odontocetes in the western half of the HRC. In the second year of a three-year effort in the western main Hawaiian Islands we undertook surveys off Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau in July/August 2011, to examine spatial use and residency patterns using satellite tags, to provide visual verification of acoustically-detected odontocetes on the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), and to obtain individual identification photographs and biopsy samples for assessment of population identity and structure.

As part of the long-term United States (U.S.) Navy-funded Marine Species Monitoring Program, from 1-14 August 2021, a combination of boat-based field effort and passive acoustic monitoring was carried out on and around the underwater hydrophone ranges of the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF).

A joint project in July and August 2013 on and around the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) combined passive acoustic monitoring and boat-based field efforts. There were 671 kilometers (36.6 hours [hr]) of small-vessel survey effort over the course of the 8-day project, with 55.1 percent of time (20.2 hr) spent within the PMRF instrumented hydrophone range boundaries. A total of 33.0 hr of acoustic monitoring coincided with the small-vessel field effort.

As part of the long-term United States (U.S.) Navy-funded Marine Species Monitoring Program, from 16–24 August 2022, Cascadia Research Collective (CRC) carried out a vessel-based field effort in conjunction with passive acoustic monitoring undertaken by U.S. Navy (Navy) scientists on and around the underwater hydrophone ranges of the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF).

Movements and Spatial Use of Satellite‐tagged Odontocetes in the Western Main Hawaiian Islands: Results of Fieldwork Undertaken off O‘ahu in October 2010 and Kaua‘i in February 2011

A joint project in February 2014 on and around the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) was carried out utilizing combined passive acoustic monitoring and boat-based field efforts. There were 1,287 kilometers (km) (66.3 hours [hr]) of small-vessel survey effort over the course of the 10 day project, with 44.6 percent of search time (29.6 hr) spent within the PMRF instrumented hydrophone range boundaries. A total of 81.7 hr of acoustic monitoring was undertaken during the field effort. There were 26 sightings of five species of odontocetes, six of which were directed by acoustic detections from the Marine Mammal Monitoring on Navy Ranges (M3R) system.

As part of a long-term U.S. Navy-funded marine mammal monitoring program, in August 2017 a combination of boatbased field effort and passive acoustic monitoring was carried out on and around the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) off Kaua‘i prior to a Submarine Command Course scheduled for mid-August 2017. The U.S. Navy funded five days of small-boat effort and the National Marine Fisheries Service funded an additional six days of effort. There were 1,113 kilometers (77.4 hours) of small-vessel survey effort over the course of the 11 day project.

As part of a long-term U.S. Navy-funded marine mammal monitoring program, in August 2018 a combination of vessel-based field effort and passive acoustic monitoring was carried out on and around the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) Kaua‘i prior to a Submarine Commander Course scheduled for mid-August 2018. The purpose of the monitoring effort was to assess the spatial movement patterns and habitat use of cetaceans that are exposed to mid-frequency active sonar and how those patterns influence exposure and potentially responses.

As part of a long-term U.S. Navy-funded marine mammal monitoring program, in February 2020 a combination of vesselbased field effort and passive acoustic monitoring was carried out on and around the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) off Kaua‘i prior to a Submarine Command Course scheduled for mid-February 2020. The purpose of the monitoring effort was to assess the spatial movement patterns and habitat use of cetaceans that are exposed to midfrequency active sonar and how those patterns influence exposure and potentially responses. Results from this effort were compared with previous Cascadia Research Collective (CRC) survey effort and photo-identification and tag data from Kaua‘i, based on surveys in 11 different years since 2003.

As part of the long-term United States (U.S.) Navy-funded Marine Species Monitoring Program, from 11–19 February 2024, Cascadia Research Collective (CRC) carried out a vessel-based field effort in conjunction with passive acoustic monitoring undertaken by the U.S. Navy (Navy) scientists on and around the underwater hydrophone ranges of the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF). The effort was timed to occur immediately prior to the start of a Submarine Command Course (SCC) to allow for collection of movement and dive data that could be used to examine exposure and response of cetaceans to Navy mid-frequency active sonar (MFAS; see Henderson et al. 2021). Eight days of field effort were funded by the Navy, and one day of field work was funded by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries. Wildlife Computers SPLASH10-F satellite tags were funded by the Navy for deployment on Navypriority species, and additional tags were provided by Wildlife Computers or CRC for deployment on other species (e.g., humpback whales [Megaptera novaeangliae]). Tags were programmed to collect dive behavior and Fastloc®-Global Positioning System (GPS) data from the time deployed until three and a half days after the end of the SCC and continue to transmit the dive and Fastloc®-GPS data for an additional six days. Starting on either May 2nd or May 3rd, the tags were duty cycled to transmit only every second day, to provide longer-term tracks of individual movements. During the period that tags were collecting dive and Fastloc®-GPS data, tags were programmed to try to obtain Fastloc®-GPS locations only for the 12 hours of the day when there were no or limited satellite overpasses. This programming change from previous Kauaʻi field efforts was taken to minimize temporal gaps in location data during the period that overlapped with and immediately followed the SCC. Field efforts were undertaken out of Kikiaola small boat harbor when conditions allowed for working on or near PMRF, or out of Port Allen when conditions on or near PMRF were not workable.

The Hawaiian Islands Cetacean and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (HICEAS) is a recurring ship-based, line-transect survey designed to estimate cetacean abundance in the entirety of the Hawaiian EEZ.

Passive acoustic monitoring was conducted during a survey of marine mammals in nearshore waters surrounding Pagan Island, a remote volcanic island in the western tropical Pacific, part of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands. The objective was to collect baseline information for Department of Defense's CNMI Joint Military Training Environmental Impact Statement. The primary effort was conducted over 11 days in August 2013. Visual/acoustic line-transect surveys were conducted using a towed hydrophone array system during daytime, and moored sonobuoys were deployed at night. Fourteen acoustic encounters occurred during line-transect surveys consisting of the following (subtotal in parentheses): bottlenose dolphin (1), spinner dolphin (1), beaked whales (4), and unidentified dolphins (8). Of this total, eleven were acoustic only encounters and three were concurrently sighted by observers. The four beaked whale acoustic encounters could not be classified in the field so data were post-processed resulting in the following classifications: Blainville's beaked whales (3) and Cuvier's beaked whale (1). Localization ranges (perpendicular to trackline) were between 0.3 and 2 km and varied by species/species groups. Sonobuoys were moored in depths of 30-50m at two sites located off sand beach areas on the west side of the island. Approximately 67 hours of recordings were made for an average recording duration of 7.4 hours per night. The majority of detection events (55) were of dolphins (undetermined species). Sperm whales were detected once by each sonobuoy. In summary, passive acoustic methods were able to detect delphinids, as well as deep diving species during both line-transect surveys and shallow water sonobuoy monitoring sites. Although brief in duration, this effort provided important information about the occurrence of several species of marine mammals documented for the first time at this remote island.

In order to train with mid-frequency active sonar (MFAS), the United States (U.S.) Navy has obtained a permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Biological Opinion under the Endangered Species Act. The Mariana Islands Range Complex (MIRC) Monitoring Plan was developed with NMFS to comply with the requirements under the permits. The monitoring plan and reporting requirements provide science-based answers to questions regarding whether or not marine mammals are exposed to, and react to, Navy MFAS and explosives. As such, the Navy developed the MIRC Monitoring Plan to conduct activities that meet these monitoring goals.

A shore-based platform, incorporating two high-powered 25 × 150-millimeter binoculars ("Big Eyes"), was evaluated as an alternative approach for surveying marine areas for protected species (marine mammals and sea turtles). During a pilot study at a test site on Oahu (278-meter [m] elevation), humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) blows were visible through Big Eyes at 37 kilometers (km) away in Beaufort Sea State (BSS) 2. This suggests the approach could be effective at detecting baleen and sperm whales from long distances, priority species under the United States Department of the Navy's Marine Species Monitoring Program.

A shore-based platform, incorporating high-powered 25×150mm binoculars ("bigeyes"), was evaluated as an alternative approach for surveying marine areas for protected species (marine mammals and sea turtles). During a pilot study at a test site on Oahu (273m elevation), humpback whale blows were visible through bigeyes 37km away in Beaufort Sea State (BSS) 2. This suggests the approach could be effective at detecting baleen and sperm whales from long distances, priority species under the U.S. Navy's Marine Species Monitoring Program. Systematic scans using bigeyes were performed in Guam over 20 days from a north-facing (193m) and a northeast-facing (157m) shore station in May 2014 and March 2015. These two sites were chosen because of mostly unobstructed views of the ocean, as well as generally high BSS that prohibit visual surveys from small vessels in this area. A SnapZoom digiscoping adapter, equipped with an iPhone or GoPro, was attached to the bigeye eyepiece allowing collection of photos and video, complementing supertelephoto (500-800mm) photography on a DSLR to assist with species confirmation. Observers recorded 33 odontocete sightings comprised of 4 confirmed species (spinner and bottlenose dolphins, pilot and melon-headed whales), but no baleen or sperm whales were observed. Several sightings were distant from shore, including two unidentified dolphins observed 9 km offshore in BSS 6, cued by diving birds, and a group of 160 melon-headed whales 14km offshore in BSS 5. The species observed and the sighting rate of 0.28 per hour, or 1.7 per day, were comparable to results from smallvessel surveys in Guam, suggesting an overall low density of marine mammals, and large whales in particular, during this time of year. These results demonstrate that shore-based surveys can provide an alternative means of surveying an area where use of other research platforms are impractical or cost prohibitive.

A marine mammal species verification and satellite tagging test was carried out as part of the Marine Mammal Monitoring on Navy Ranges (M3R) program in collaboration with the Cascadia Research Collective from 11 June to 02 August 2012 at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF). The primary objective of the test was to acoustically detect marine mammals at PMRF and vector observers to vocalizing animals. This allowed the team to: 1) Visually verify at-sea species acoustically detected on the PMRF undersea range 2) Deploy satellite tags on marine mammals prior to the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) to monitor animals’ movement before, during and after navy training. 3) Photograph animals to create a photo-ID record for the Hawaii Range Complex 4) Collect biological samples (fecal/biopsy) 5) Document group composition and behavior

The monitoring plan and reporting will provide science‐based answers to questions regarding whether or not marine mammals are exposed and reacting to Navy MFAS. The objectives of the monitoring plan are to address the following questions: 1. Are marine mammals and sea turtles exposed to MFAS at regulatory thresholds of harm or harassment? If so, at what levels and how frequently are they exposed? 2. If marine mammals and sea turtles are exposed to MFAS in the HRC, do they redistribute geographically in the HRC as a result of repeated exposure? If so, how long does the redistribution last? 3. If marine mammals and sea turtles are exposed to MFAS, what are their behavioral responses? Are they different at various levels? 4. What are the behavioral responses of marine mammals and sea turtles that are exposed to various levels and distances from explosives? 5. Are the Navy’s suite of mitigation measures for MFAS and explosives (e.g., Protective Measures Assessment Protocol [PMAP], measures agreed to by the Navy through permitting and consultation) effective at avoiding harm or harassment of marine mammals and sea turtles?

In order to address requirements under the Marine Mammal Protection Act Letters of Authorization permitted to the U.S. Navy, three U.S. Navy civilian marine mammal observers (MMOs; Ms. Amy Farak, Ms. Julie Rivers, and Dr. Robert Uyeyama) and one U.S. Navy contractor (Dr. Thomas A. Jefferson) participated in two consecutive ASW exercise events in the Hawaii Range Complex from 15‐22 February, 2011 (Figure 1). These MMOs were stationed aboard a U.S. Navy destroyer, hereafter referred to as DDG‐D. The goals of the monitoring and this study were to: 1. Collect data to assess the effectiveness of the Navy lookout team. 2. Obtain data to characterize the possible exposure of marine species to mid‐frequency active sonar (MFAS). 3. Achieve close coordination between the contracted aerial survey team, Navy aircraft on the range, range control, and th

The first phase to integrate the historical sum of these U.S. Navy-sponsored visual survey efforts for marine species monitoring in the HRC was prepared by Uyeyama (2011). This report represents the second phase of that effort and presents an overview of monitoring survey effort to date in the HRC. Available data from visual surveys performed by both contractor-led efforts and U.S. Navy in-house surveys was compiled and processed in order to: 1. Create a geographic information system (GIS)-based summation of all survey tracks that can be easily visualized. 2. Construct a geo-referenced database of sightings that can be queried by species, observer platform, Beaufort Sea State (BSS), season, or other sighting/survey variables. 3. Conduct an enhanced analysis of sighting success with respect to survey platform, field protocol, and environmental conditions. 4. Inform and adjust data collection procedures on future surveys as needed to reflect lessons learned from sighting data compilation efforts presented here. 5. Provide information to enhance informed management of marine protected species in the HRC and support the adaptive management process that is part of the ICM

The overall objective of the ICMP is to assimilate relevant data collected across U.S. Navy range complexes in order to answer questions pertaining to the impact of MFAS and explosives on marine mammals and sea turtles.

In order to support the U.S. Navy in meeting regulatory requirements for monitoring established under the Final Rules and to provide a mechanism to assist with coordination of program objectives under the ICMP, this survey was conducted to confirm the Marine Mammal Monitoring on Navy Ranges (M3R) acoustic detections and marine mammal satellite tagging was prior to a training event, the Submarine Commander’s Course exercise, which would be conducted in the same area during February 2012.This report presents the methods and preliminary results of a vessel-based visual and acoustic survey effort that was conducted in conjunction with a tagging and species-validation project

The results of marine mammal monitoring reported here for RIMPAC 2010 represent the first monitoring effort under the U.S. Navy’s Marine Species Monitoring Program (Contract # N62470-10-D-3011) issued to engineering-environmental Management, Inc., an HDR company (HDR|e²M). The monitoring effort for RIMPAC 2010 consisted of the following: Vessel-based line transect surveys to assess the diversity, distribution, and behavior of target species (e.g., marine mammals and sea turtles) Installation of one shallow- and one deep-water passive acoustic monitors (PAMs) in waters off Ni'ihau.

This report presents a geographic information system (GIS)-based overview of the sighting records obtained during marine species monitoring effort (a total of 12 U.S. Pacific Fleet-funded surveys) to date in the MIRC. Also included are incidental marine mammal and sea turtle sightings made since 1965 on non-dedicated surveys in the region.

This report presents the results of the Guam and Saipan Marine Species Monitoring: Winter-Spring Survey conducted on the motor vessel (M/V) Sea Fantasy (Guam survey) and the M/V Super Emerald (Saipan survey) from 15 to 29 March 2012. The objective of the 2012 survey effort was to conduct baseline surveys to further document marine mammal and sea turtle occurrence in nearshore waters around the island of Guam and Saipan. The approach primarily followed opportunistic survey protocols used in recent surveys around Guam (Ligon et al. 2011; HDR 2011), which remained within 10 kilometers (km) or 5.4 nautical miles (NM) of the coastline.

The objective of this current survey effort was to conduct baseline surveys to further document marine mammal and sea turtle occurrence in nearshore waters around the island of Guam. This report presents the results of the Guam Marine Species Monitoring Survey conducted on the MV Island Girl from February 17 to March 3, 2011.

e Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center’s (PIFSC) Cetacean Research Program (CRP) conducted surveys for cetaceans in the waters surrounding Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) in an effort to further develop a record of cetacean occurrence in the region.1 This was the fourth year conducting cetacean surveys aboard small boats (7.6 – 12.2 m) around the southern Mariana Islands of Guam, Rota, Saipan, Tinian, and Aguijan (Fig. 1). This project was carried out in partnership with the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet by a team of four primary personnel (Table 1). The collected data are being used to reveal the occurrence and distribution, stock structure, and movements of cetaceans within the study area.

The Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center’s (PIFSC) Cetacean Research Program (CRP) has conducted visual surveys for cetaceans in the waters surrounding Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) since 2010 as part of an ongoing effort to develop a record of cetacean occurrence in the region. During 24 August–9 September 2018, non-systematic visual surveys were conducted from small vessels off Saipan, Tinian, Aguijan, and Guam. A total of 1,168 km of trackline was surveyed and most was in Beaufort sea states of 2–4 (73%) and swell heights of 0–4 ft (71%). Twenty cetacean groups were encountered, resulting in the collection of 6,437 photos, 33 biopsy samples, and the deployment of 5 satellite tags.

The PIFSC CRP has conducted research on cetaceans in the Mariana Archipelago since 2010. A cooperative effort with funding from U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet and PIFSC has included summer and winter small-boat surveys off the southernmost islands (Saipan, Tinian, Aguijan, Rota, and Guam), development of photo-ID catalogs, analysis of collected tissue samples and satellite telemetry tag data, and shipboard visual and PAM surveys in portions of the EEZ in 2010 and 2015. PIFSC has maintained long-term PAM on moored recorders off Saipan and Tinian (since 2010) and off Pagan (since 2015) as part of the Pacific Islands Passive Acoustic Network (PIPAN). The goal of these efforts is to collect the data necessary to conduct population assessments for cetaceans within the Mariana Archipelago, including the determination of their occurrence, population structure and abundance, movements, distribution, and habitat use.

The Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center’s (PIFSC) Cetacean Research Program (CRP) has been conducting visual surveys and long-term acoustic monitoring for cetaceans in the waters surrounding Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) as part of an ongoing effort to develop a record of cetacean occurrence in the region. Visual surveys have been conducted aboard small boats (7.6–12.2 m) since 2010 off the southernmost islands of the Mariana Archipelago (Guam, Rota, Saipan, Tinian, and Aguijan). These surveys include the collection of photographs for individual identification, tissue samples for genetic analysis of population structure, and the deployment of satellite tags for assessment of individual movements throughout the broader region.

The Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center’s (PIFSC) Cetacean Research Program (CRP) has been conducting visual surveys and long-term acoustic monitoring for cetaceans in the waters surrounding Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) as part of an ongoing effort to develop a record of cetacean occurrence in the region. Visual surveys have been conducted aboard small boats (7.6-12.2 m) since 2010 off the southernmost islands of the Mariana Archipelago (Guam, Rota, Saipan, Tinian, and Aguijan). These surveys include the collection of photographs for individual identification, tissue samples for genetic analysis of population structure, and the deployment of satellite tags for assessment of individual movements throughout the broader region

The Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center’s (PIFSC) Cetacean Research Program (CRP) has been conducting visual surveys and long-term acoustic monitoring for cetaceans in the waters surrounding Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) as part of an ongoing effort to develop a record of cetacean occurrence in the region. Visual surveys have been conducted aboard small boats (7.6-12.2 m) since 2010 off the southernmost islands of the Mariana Archipelago (Guam, Rota, Saipan, Tinian, and Aguijan). These surveys include the collection of photographs for individual identification, tissue samples for genetic analysis of population structure, and the deployment of satellite tags for assessment of individual movements throughout the broader region.

The Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center’s (PIFSC) Cetacean Research Program (CRP) has been conducting visual surveys for cetaceans in the waters surrounding Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and collecting long-term passive acoustic monitoring data at two sites in CNMI as part of an ongoing effort to develop a record of cetacean occurrence in the region. Visual surveys, conducted aboard small boats (7.6 – 12.2 m), have been ongoing since 2010 off the southern Mariana Islands of Guam, Rota, Saipan, Tinian, and Aguijan. T

an effort to further develop a record of cetacean occurrence in the region, as well as to gather photos and biopsy samples and deploy satellite tags for population studies, the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center's (PIFSC) Cetacean Research Program (CRP) conducted surveys for cetaceans in the waters surrounding Guam and the CNМІ (Figure 1) during 2010-2014. This research was carried out in partnership with the U.S. Navy and is expected to continue through 2015. Detailed reports for each survey year were submitted to the Navy (Oleson and Hill 2010, Ligon et al. 2011, Hill et al. 2012, Hill et al. 2013).

A long-term goal of this research is the evaluation of the population status of each cetacean stock. This includes producing population abundance estimates using mark-recapture techniques. The first step in the process is the creation of species photo-identification catalogs, which began during the summer of 2012

The Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center’s (PIFSC) Cetacean Research Program (CRP) conducted surveys for cetaceans in the waters surrounding Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) (Figure 1) in an effort to further develop a record of cetacean occurrence in the region and to gather photos and biopsy samples for population studies. This project was carried out in partnership with the U.S. Navy Commander, Pacific Fleet by a team of six primary personnel (Table 1).

Goals: Understand species occurrence and distribution. Determine the population structure and abundance of the those species. Study the movements and habitat use of individuals and populations. Methods: Small boat-based and ship-based surveys. Passive acoustic recordings (HARPs & towed array). Photo-ID, biopsy sampling, and satellite tagging.

In this assessment we incorporated published and unpublished information to delineate and score Biologically Important Areas (BIAs) for cetaceans in the Hawaiʻi region following standardized criteria. Twenty-six cetacean species have been documented in Hawaiʻi. Eleven odontocete species have distinct small populations resident to one or more island areas: rough-toothed dolphins, pantropical spotted dolphins, common bottlenose dolphins, spinner dolphins, short-finned pilot whales, false killer whales, pygmy killer whales, melon-headed whales, Blainville’s beaked whales, Cuvier’s beaked whales, and dwarf sperm whales.

In order to train with mid-frequency active sonar (MFAS), the Navy has obtained a permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Endangered Species Act. The Hawaii Range Complex (HRC) Monitoring Plan, finalized in December 2008 for implementation in January 2009, was developed with NMFS to comply with the requirements under the permit. The monitoring plan and reporting will provide sciencebased answers to questions regarding whether or not marine mammals are exposed and reacting to Navy MFAS. The objectives of the monitoring plan are to answer the following questions: 1. Are marine mammals and sea turtles exposed to MFAS at regulatory thresholds of harm or harassment? If so, at what levels and how frequently are they exposed? 2. If marine mammals and sea turtles are exposed to MFAS in the HRC, do they redistribute geographically in the HRC as a result of repeated exposure? If so, how long does the redistribution last? 3. If marine mammals and sea turtles are exposed to MFAS, what are their behavioral responses? Are they different at various levels? 4. What are the behavioral responses of marine mammals and sea turtles that are exposed to various levels and distances from explosives? 5. Are the Navy’s suite of mitigation measures for MFAS and explosives (e.g., Protective Measures Assessment Protocol [PMAP], measures agreed to by the Navy through permitting and consultation) effe

We have been conducting ongoing monthly aerial surveys off Cape Hatteras, NC, USA as part of the US Navy's marine species monitoring program in the Atlantic since 2011. We utilize line transect survey methods and extensively photograph all sightings to confirm species identification. Survey tracklines extend from shallow continental shelf waters, across the shelf break, to deep pelagic waters. From May 2011 through December 2014, 26,131km of trackline were flown, and 9,941 individual cetaceans were documented during 437 encounters. Nineteen species of cetaceans, including three mysticetes (Balaenoptera physalus, B. acutorostrata, Megaptera novaeangliae), five deep-divers (Physeter microcephalus, Kogia spp., Ziphius cavirostris, Mesoplodon europaeus, M. mirus), and eleven delphinids (Tursiops truncatus, Stenella frontalis, S. attenuate, S. coeruleoalba, S. clymene, S. longirostris, Steno bredanensis, Peponocephala electra, Lagenodelphis hosei, Grampus griseus and Globicephala macrorhynchus) were encountered. Similar surveys at the adjacent Onslow Bay, NC site yielded only 257 sightings (4,773 individuals representing nine species) despite nearly two times the survey effort flown (48,698km). At Cape Hatteras, minimum abundance estimates (i.e. uncorrected for availability or perception bias) were generated using spatio-temporal density surface modelling for species with sufficient detections. Predicted monthly abundance of T. truncatus varied between 170 (95% confidence interval; 0 - 17,100) and 3,450 (300 - 8,510). Monthly Stenella spp. abundance varied between 110 (0 - 360) and 1,720 (400 - 5,390). Monthly abundance of G. macrorhynchus varied between 10 (0 - 960) and 1,230 (220 - 4,300). These results demonstrate that the waters off Cape Hatteras support both higher diversity and density of cetaceans than adjacent waters along the US Atlantic coast. This site is included in the area of interest identified in six pending permits for large-scale, commercial seismic surveys. We suggest that the high density and diversity of cetaceans at this site warrants a special degree of concern by the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

Aerial Survey Monitoring for Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles in the Hawaii Range Complex in Conjunction with Two Navy Training Events. SCC and USWEX February 16 ‐ March 5, 2011. Final Field Report.

Aerial surveys of marine mammals were performed as part of the Marine Mammal Monitoring on Navy Undersea Acoustic Ranges (3MR) program. Surveys were performed in three regions: a) Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), Barking Sands, Kauai (BSURE and BARSTUR ranges; Jul 12-Nov 17, 2002); b) Bahamas (Northwest Providence Channel and AUTEC range; Jan 4-12, 2003); and c) main Hawaiian Islands (Feb 21–Apr 5, 2003). The mission was to identify species and record positions and composition of all marine mammal pods sighted. These data were made available to co-investigators (Martin and Moretti) of the 3MR program in order to correlate the visual positions with acoustic localizations using Navy assets. All surveys were flown in a twin-engine Partenavia aircraft at 100 knots airspeed and 244 m altitude. Four personnel participated on each flight including one observer on each side of the aircraft, data recorder and pilot. Methods used were consistent with those of modern distance sampling theory.

Aerial shoreline surveys for marine mammals and sea turtles were conducted subsequent to two U.S. Commander Pacific Fleet training events in the Hawaii Range Complex. The surveys involved circumnavigation of the island of Kauai in January–February and the islands of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Kahoolawe in August. Both the Koa Kai and Rim of the Pacific Exercise or “RIMPAC” involved the use of mid-frequency active sonar.

Aerial Survey Monitoring for Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles in the Hawaii Range Complex in Conjunction with a Navy Training Event

Aerial surveys to monitor marine mammals and sea turtles (MM/ST) were conducted in conjunction with a U.S. Commander Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT) training event in the Hawaii Range Complex (HRC) on the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) Barking Sands Tactical Underwater Range (BARSTUR) and Barking Sands Underwater Range Extension (BSURE) between Kauai and Ni'ihau, Hawaii during the period February 15 to 25, 2012

The purpose of this preliminary report is to describe the status of progress on data analysis and describe the relevant research questions that may be addressed. Of the five research questions identified in the U.S. Navy’s Hawaii Range Complex Monitoring Plan (DoN 2008), two of them were judged to be addressable using the focal-follow approach: 1. Question 1: “Are marine mammals (and sea turtles) exposed to MFAS, especially at levels associated with adverse effects? If so, at what levels are they exposed?” 2. Question 3: “If marine mammals (and sea turtles) are exposed to MFAS, what are their behavioral responses to various received levels?”

During January 2012, with funding provided by the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) N45 Energy and Environmental Readiness Division, the Marine Mammal Monitoring on Navy Ranges ( M3R) program supported a marine mammal species verification and satellite tagging test on the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) prior to a Submarine Commander Course (SCC)

During 2007, the first large-scale survey for marine mammals and sea turtles -- the Mariana Islands Sea Turtle and Cetacean Survey (MISTCS) -- was conducted in the Navy’s Mariana Islands Range Complex (MIRC; DoN 2007, Fulling et al. 2011). The survey region encompassed approximately 584,800 square kilometers (km2) and was a rectangle bounded by 18° – 10° N and 142° –148° E. The survey used standard line-transect methodology and also included passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) using a towed hydrophone array system.

This report covers a number of activities carried out by the Cetacean Research Program (CRP) at the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) in 2009 and 2010 supported with partial funding from U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet (PACFLT). The report is intended to provide preliminary data and results from 4 survey efforts between Hawaii and Guam in early 2010.

During a combined visual and acoustic cetacean abundance survey that took place in the waters around Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, delphinid whistles were frequently detected, but were not always coupled with visual observations. As a resu lt, many acoustic detections were not identified to spec ies. Very little data exist on the occurrence and distribution of delphinids in this study area, so the ability to acoustically identify species that were not sighted can provide important information regard ing the occurrence and distribution of delphinid species in these waters.

The February 2011 cruise to Ka‘ula was comprised two components: a dedicated seabird survey at the island of Ka‘ula to satisfy Sikes Act monitoring requirements and a marine mammal visual survey and tagging effort at the island of Kaua‘i and during the transit to Ka‘ula in order to satisfy Commander, Pacific Fleet’s marine mammal and sea turtle monitoring requirements. Relatively little research and monitoring has occurred at Ka‘ula

In order to train with mid-frequency active sonar (MFAS), the Navy has obtained a permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and a Biological Opinion under the Endangered Species Act. The Hawai‘i Range Complex (HRC) Monitoring Plan, finalized in December 2008 for implementation in January 2009, and amended in 2011 was developed with NMFS to comply with the requirements under the permit. The monitoring plan and reporting will provide science-based answers to questions regarding whether or not marine mammals are exposed and reacting to Navy MFAS. The Ka‘ula Island monitoring effort is intended to provide data towards the monitoring plan goals through collecting baseline occurrence and population information

In support of RIMPAC 2006, nearshore monitoring for marine mammals and sea turtles was conducted during July 16-20 from Kekaha Beach, Kauai, Hawaii and July 24-26 from Mahukona and Kapa`a Beach Park, Kohala Coast, Hawaii

Overall, the monitoring survey effort demonstrated the feasibility of performing search and behavioral observations of target species without interfering with at-sea naval training involving multiple large vessels, aircraft (both fixed-wing and helicopters), and submarines. This information can be used to continue developing effective monitoring approaches and to gather behavioral data, including baseline data, on the potential effects of Navy activities on marine resources as required under the Navy’s marine species monitoring plan for the Hawaii Range Complex. Recommendations for marine mammal monitoring during future similar Navy activities have been presented.

The goal of the aerial survey was “to monitor and report the presence/absence, distribution/re-distribution, reaction/no reaction, injury, and/or mortality of MM/ST during exposure to SCC OPS Navy training event”. This involved monitoring and reporting, in as detailed fashion as possible, the surface behavior of MM/ST. In particular, we were to monitor for any changes in the near-surface behavior, orientation, occurrence, and location of animals relative to the USS Lake Erie’s activities using a systematic search and focal follow method. This included monitoring for any potentially dead, injured, or distressed animals and “any animals found to be exhibiting behaviors or associations deemed unusual”

The relative occurrence of the 16 most common cetacean species in the Southern California Bight (SCB) was compared from the 1950s through 2012 by examining at-sea sighting and stranding data. While systematic survey and population abundance/density data have been available since the 1970s, prior data were collected opportunistically. Comparisons were made through a literature review and using recent results from 15 aerial surveys conducted in the SCB from 2008 through 2012. We attempted to address inconsistency in type of effort across studies by ranking the relative sighting frequency of the most common species based on the most representative study for each period. This comparison revealed changes in the relative occurrence of some species across the approximately 60-y reviewed period. Since the 1950s, common dolphins have remained the most common “species” of cetacean in the SCB. Risso’s dolphin and fin, blue, humpback, and Bryde’s whales appear to have increased in relative occurrence. The relative occurrence of the common bottlenose and northern right whale dolphins; Dall’s porpoise; and gray, killer, minke, Cuvier’s beaked, and sperm whales do not appear to have changed notably since the 1950s. There is possible indication of recent decreased relative occurrence of the Pacific white-sided dolphin. The short-finned pilot whale has decreased since the 1950s and has not been recorded in the SCB since the 1990s, concurrent with the observed relative increase in Risso’s dolphins. Overall, recent aerial surveys indicate that the 16 most commonly seen species in the SCB, in descending order of frequency, were common dolphins (two species), Risso’s dolphin, fin whale, common bottlenose dolphin, gray whale, blue whale, Pacific white-sided dolphin, humpback whale, northern right whale dolphin, common minke whale, Dall’s porpoise, killer whale, Bryde’s whale, Cuvier’s beaked whale (the latter three tied in ranking), and sperm whale. Given that the reviewed historical data from the 1950s and 1960s are virtually the only sources of information available to examine trends over the last 50 to 60 y in this area, we believe this comparative ranking approach provides useful information not available from other sources.

The purpose of this report is to compile previously unpublished sightings of marine mammals and sea turtles made in the Mariana Islands Range Complex. The original primary goal of this report was to compile such sightings incidentally made during Navy-funded field efforts or other Navy training. However during the course of compiling these data, additional incidental sightings made by other sources were encountered.

The monitoring plan and reporting will provide science-based answers to questions regarding whether or not marine mammals are exposed and reacting to Navy MFAS. The objectives of the monitoring plan are to answer the following questions: 1. Are marine mammals and sea turtles exposed to MFAS at regulatory thresholds of harm or harassment? If so, at what levels and how frequently are they exposed? 2. If marine mammals and sea turtles are exposed to MFAS in the HRC, do they redistribute geographically in the HRC as a result of repeated exposure? If so, how long does the redistribution last? 3. If marine mammals and sea turtles are exposed to MFAS, what are their behavioral responses? Are they different at various levels? 4. What are the behavioral responses of marine mammals and sea turtles that are exposed to various levels and distances from explosives? 5. Are the Navy’s suite of mitigation measures for MFAS and explosives (e.g., Protective Measures Assessment Protocol [PMAP], measures agreed to by the Navy through permitting and consultation) effective at avoiding harm or harassment of marine mammals and sea turtles?

In order to train with mid‐frequency active sonar (MFAS), the Navy has obtained a Letter of Authorization (permit) from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and a Biological Opinion under the Endangered Species Act. The Hawaii Range Complex (HRC) Monitoring Plan, finalized in December 2008 for implementation in January 2009, and amended in 2010, was developed with NMFS to comply with the requirements under the permit. The monitoring plan and reporting will provide science‐based answers to questions regarding whether or not marine mammals are exposed and reacting to Navy MFAS

In accordance with the HRC Monitoring Plan, implemented in January 2009, data were collected 18–22 February 2013 during a SCC event, with the following stated goals: (1) collect data to assess the effectiveness of the Navy lookout team, and (2) obtain data to characterize the possible exposure of marine species to MFAS. Three U.S. Navy civilian MMOs (MMOs and one contractor MMO were stationed aboard a U.S. Navy-guided DDG for observation of marine species. MMO surveys were conducted on a not-to-interfere basis, which means that the MMOs did not replace required Navy lookouts and did not dictate operational requirements or maneuvers.

This review examines historical data from 535 odontocete stranding events in the Mariana archipelago and Hawaiian Islands by date, location and species and spans the time period of 1848 to 2023. Reports of strandings increased across the two geographic regions that were generally consistent over time. A total of 54 historical stranding events that represent 14 odontocete species are described for the Mariana Islands. A total of 481 stranding events that represent 19 odontocete species are described from the Hawaiian Islands, significantly updating the last published report that examined 202 odontocete strandings that occurred in the main Hawaiian Islands between 1937 and 2002. ArcGIS cluster maps were utilized to identify groupings of stranding events across the geographic regions. The majority of strandings in the Mariana Islands were reported from the west and southeastern coast of Guam, followed by Saipan, Rota and Tinian. Stranding hotspots in the Hawaiian Islands were identified at Mā’alaea Bay, Maui, at windward Oʻahu and near Kailua-Kona on Hawaiʻi Island.

The University of Hawaii Health and Stranding Lab located at Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) is the only entity in the Pacific Islands region that responds to strandings, conducts necropsy and cause of death investigations, archives tissues and performs research to identify and evaluate threats to Pacific Island cetaceans. This project focuses on increasing our understanding of infectious diseases in the Pacific Island region by investigating the emerging diseases caused by circovirus, morbillivirus, herpesvirus and toxoplasmosis infections in cetaceans.

We report significant pathological findings from 250 stranding investigations of 20 cetacean species in the Pacific Islands region between 2006 and 2022. Full or partial necropsies of 196 of the 250 stranding cases (78.4%) resulted in a diagnosis or multiple diagnoses associated with death in 126 cases. Natural disease accounted for 60.3% of stranded animals; approximately half were in poor body condition at time of death due to chronic illness. Morbillivirus and Brucella sp. infections caused mortality in eleven species, including striped dolphins and the Longman’s beaked whale. Toxoplasma infection, of anthropogenic cause in Hawaiʻi, led to the deaths of two spinner dolphins. Pygmy and dwarf sperm whales, beaked whales and pilot whales showed heavy parasitism by nematodes, cestodes and trematodes. Approximately 12.7% of stranded individuals were perinates/neonates, with three cases of dystocia with maternal mortality. Anthropogenic trauma was observed in 30.2% of strandings. In seven Cuvier’s beaked whales, cranial and/or microvascular hemorrhages were categorized as trauma. Vertebral and skull fractures were attributed to direct vessel strikes for two pygmy sperm whales, a Cuvier’s beaked whale, a humpback whale calf and a striped dolphin. Blast trauma was observed in three Fraser’s dolphins that were part of an uncommon stranding event. Significant plastic debris, and/or fishery debris were found in stomachs of six species and fatal fishhook penetration occurred in a Submitted in Support of the U.S. Navy’s 2023 Annual Marine Species Monitoring Report for the Pacific STANDARD FORM 298 Back (Rev. 8/98) bottlenose dolphin. This study highlights the value of carcass examinations in a region inhabited by small island associated populations where carcass recovery rates are low, and cetaceans face an array of natural and anthropogenic threats.

This project provides support for comprehensive stranding investigations in order to obtain increased baseline information about the health of marine mammals. Such support is essential when considering the Pacific Islands region (PIR) where unique geographical challenges exist. The PIR is comprised of isolated islands, spanning over 4 million square miles across the North, South and Western Pacific basins and includes the Hawai‘i Range Complex and the Mariana Islands Range Complex. All cetacean stranding response and investigative efforts for the PIR are centralized at a dedicated stranding facility located at Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i (MCBH). This specialized facility houses the University of Hawai‘i (UH) Health and Stranding Lab, which plays a critical role as the only organization in the region to conduct cause of death investigations when dolphins and whales strand. This requires mounting an immediate response to each newly reported stranding event that occurs and conducting extensive necropsy examinations, including histopathology, disease surveillance, and tissue sampling in support of numerous research efforts aimed at better understanding Hawaiian cetaceans. In addition to this project facilitating advanced diagnostics in-house at the Health and Stranding Lab, we also report on progress towards a project option to measure fecal stress and reproductive hormones in Pacific Island cetaceans. An additional project option includes characterizing marine debris ingestion by abundance and mass in previously stranded short-finned pilot whales.

The University of Hawai‘i Health and Stranding Lab (HSL), located in Kaneohe Bay, is the only entity in the Pacific Islands region that responds to strandings, conducts necropsy and cause of death investigations, archives tissues and performs research to identify and evaluate threats to Pacific Island cetaceans. The purpose of this project has three objectives: 1) To conduct comprehensive stranding investigations for high priority species through increased capacity for in-house diagnostics; 2) To analyze archived tissues for the presence of two pathogens (circovirus and morbillivirus) and to examine the detectability of Toxoplasma positive animals over time and 3) To conduct analyses of historical stranding patterns and causes of mortality that incorporate quantitative estimates of stranding date and advanced diagnostic information.

This project provides financial support for comprehensive stranding investigations in order to obtain increased baseline information about the health of marine mammals. Such support is essential when considering the Pacific Islands region (PIR) where unique geographical challenges exist. The PIR is comprised of isolated islands, spanning over 4 million square miles across the North, South and Western Pacific basins and includes the Hawai‘i Range Complex and the Mariana Islands Range Complex. Cetacean stranding investigative efforts for the PIR are centralized at a dedicated stranding facility located at Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i (MCBH). This specialized facility houses the University of Hawai‘i (UH) Health and Stranding Lab, which plays a critical role as the only organization in the region to conduct cause of death investigations when dolphins and whales strand. This requires established relationships with partners throughout the region and the mounting of an immediate response to each newly reported stranding event that occurs. The UH Health and Stranding Lab conducts extensive necropsy examinations, including histopathology, disease surveillance, and tissue sampling in support of numerous research efforts aimed at better understanding Hawaiian cetaceans. In addition to this project facilitating advanced diagnostics in-house at the Health and Stranding Lab, we also report on progress towards a project option to measure fecal stress and reproductive hormones in Pacific Island cetaceans. An additional project option includes characterizing marine debris ingestion by abundance and mass in previously stranded short-finned pilot whales. Progress associated with the project option in support of the marine debris analyses has been prepared for peer-reviewed publication in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin. These findings are described separately from the base tasks and fecal hormones option in the attached manuscript draft.

The primary goals of Winter HICEAS 2020 were to collect data required to estimate the abundance and distribution, examine the population structure, and understand the habitat of cetaceans around the main Hawaiian Islands during the winter months (January–March). There were 5 major research components to the project: visual observations for cetaceans following a line-transect survey design; passive acoustic monitoring for cetaceans using towed hydrophone arrays, sonobuoys, and autonomous drifting acoustic recorders; collection of photographs and tissue samples and deployment of satellite tags for select cetacean groups; visual observations for seabirds following a strip-transect survey design; and ecosystem measurements for assessment of cetacean and seabird habitat.

Information on the cetacean fauna found in the nearshore waters of Pagan Island, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), are reported for the first time. In August 2013 visual and acoustic surveys in the nearshore (