Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Cetacean distribution and abundance in the north Atlantic's Arctic region  ( CEDANA)

Outline
Information on the abundance and the distribution of marine mammals in the Arctic is of great importance in terms of 1) changes in marine mammal species range and composition in the polar region as a result in climate-induced oceanographic changes, 2) populations at risk of being affected by climate change, 3) management concerns for traditional subsistence harvests in northern communities, and 4) development of ecotourism industry in northern communities. The CEDANA project will determine distribution and abundance of cetacean populations in the Canadian Arctic and sub-Arctic waters of the north Atlantic (Davis Strait and Baffin Bay) using aerial surveys to be conducted during summer 2007. The area to be covered by CEDANA lies between 60 and 80 degrees north. The timing is crucial because CEDANA will be a component of the Trans North Atlantic Sighting Survey (TNASS) for whales, which, with the participation of Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Norway, UK, and the Russian Federation, will extend across the northern north Atlantic in 2007. The European waters southeast of the TNASS area will be surveyed simultaneously by the Cetacean Offshore Distribution and Abundance in the European Atlantic (CODA, EU life project), and the American Eastern Seaboard survey (AESS) will cover the western Atlantic southwest of the TNASS area. Together, these coordinated surveys will provide the first complete synoptic basin-wide coverage of the north Atlantic's Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, which will enhance our understanding of cetacean populations in the Canadian eastern Arctic and the north Atlantic. These multi-basin, multinational surveys will involve a combination of fixed-wing visual aerial surveys and shipboard (visual and passive acoustic) surveys. Surveys will incorporate methodological developments in visual and passive acoustic methods successfully implemented under the EU SCANS-II project (LIFE Programme) and further developed for the upcoming EU CODA project. The CEDANA project will utilize standardised aerial survey methods similar to those used by other TNASS participants, adjusted for differences in national target species. Survey protocols (including equipment testing and personnel training) will be tested during a pilot survey during summer 2006 or spring 2007. The results will provide estimates of abundance of major marine mammal species, especially whales, in the north Atlantic's Arctic and sub-Arctic regions which will be critical in understanding historical and future population dynamics. This baseline information, with oceanographic data from the IPY ESSAR cluster, will be crucial in determining the impact of climate changes in Arctic ecosystems.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
CEDANA, with its links with TNASS, CODA and AESS surveys, will provide the first complete cetacean distribution and abundance surveys within the north Atlantic's sub-Arctic and Arctic regions. To understand factors such as climate-induced species range and composition, impacts on species at risk, harvesting, and industrial development, information on distribution and abundance are required. The coordinated surveys will provide baseline data on cetacean distribution and abundance with which current and future generations of polar researchers will compare their work. Significant new understanding will be gained as these surveys will cover areas never before surveyed.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
CEDANA, with international partners (TNASS, CODA, AESS), will provide data on cetacean distribution and abundance. CEDANA will also link with the IPY cluster ESSAR (Ecosystem Studies of Sub-Arctic and Arctic Regions, #155), lead by Dr. Kenneth Drinkwater, to identify oceanographic factors regulating the distribution of marine mammals.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
CEDANA surveys will cover Davis Strait, from northern Labrador (60° north), to Baffin Bay and Kane Basin (80° north). It will be the northwest Atlantic's Arctic complement of a coordinated international effort covering most of the continental shelf waters in Arctic, sub-Arctic and temperate regions of the Atlantic.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 07/07 - 09/07            
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Fixed-wing aircraft will be used for the CEDANA survey, while some countries in the larger TNASS survey may also use vessels in addition to fixed-wing aircraft.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
There is no legacy of physical infrastructure. However, the CEDANA component of TNASS will build a scientific legacy in the form of a large digital data bank describing cetacean distribution and abundance in the north Atlantic Arctic and sub-arctic waters.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
National agency
Military support
Commercial operator
Other sources of support

Other sources of support: Support for an adjacent survey of the western north Atlantic (Grand Banks) is already secured as part of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans International Governance Program (IGP). However, the CEDANA survey component will depend to a large extent on IPY- DFO approved funds.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Yes. This project is endorsed by an international organisation (NAMMCO) as part of the TNASS survey, and by the IPY international ESSAR cluster.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
Yes

CEDANA is both a new project developed for the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe, and a component of a broader, international initiative (TNASS survey). It is also contiguous with an existing national programme (survey of the Grand Banks funded through the International Governance Programme (IGP)).

How will the project be organised and managed?
The CEDANA component of TNASS will be coordinated by Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), a/s Mr. Pierre Richard, Central & Arctic Region, with Dr Jack Lawson, Newfoundland Region, as the principal investigator of CEDANA and other Canadian marine mammal surveys conducted under the IGP. Pierre Richard will also join the ESSAR Scientific Steering Committee for CEDANA. Dr. Geneviève Desportes, Faroese Museum of Natural History, GDNatur, Denmark, is the overall TNASS coordinator. Dr Phil Hammond, Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scotland will coordinate the CODA survey, and the US National Marine Fisheries Service will conduct the AESS.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Information on CEDANA will be accessible through DFO’s marine mammal research (CEMAM) and ESSAR websites, and posters prepared for northern communities. NAMMCO’s website will disseminate results from TNASS, with links to all project partners. Results will be communicated at scientific meetings and through peer-reviewed publications, lectures, and media interviews.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
The activities of CEDANA will be coordinated by a Joint Steering Committee with all project leaders (PL) serving on it (CEDANA, TNASS, CODA, AESS, and IPY cluster ESSAR). PL will schedule electronic contacts with linked-projects. CEDANA’ s data will be archived according to DFO’s National Scientific Data Management Policy.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
IPY funds for CEDANA will pay for survey aircraft, travel expenses, contracts for native observers, coordination meetings, analysis and outreach. DFO Science from Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Central & Arctic, the Centre of Excellence for Marine Mammals (CEMAM), and the US National Marine Fisheries Service will provide in-kind support.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Mr Pierre Richard
Dept Fisheries & Oceans (DFO), Central & Arctic Region
University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB
R3T 2N6
Canada

Tel: 1 (204) 983-5130
Mobile: no
Fax: no
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation