Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Trans North Atlantic Sightings Survey  (TNASS)

Outline
The TNASS project will estimate the abundance of cetacean populations in the Northern North Atlantic from approximately 80 °N to 40 °N. Comparison with previous North Atlantic Sighting Surveys (NASS) will provide information on trends in abundance and changes in distribution over a 20-year period. The hunting of cetaceans is an important cultural and economic activity in Arctic countries such as Greenland, Norway and Northern Canada, as well as the Faroe Islands. The long term sustainability of these activities is dependent on sound management programs. The information on abundance and trends in abundance is absolutely critical for the management of cetacean species, and at present there is no other means of determining their conservation status. Knowledge about trends in abundance provides a much stronger scientific basis for management programmes aiming at maintaining the sustainability of cetacean populations subject to direct and indirect catches. Baseline estimates of abundance, trends and changes in distribution are also crucial in determining the effects of environmental changes, including human-induced global warming and increases in anthropogenic marine noise and pollution. The TNASS will cover areas to the west of Greenland and the North eastern coast of Canada that have never been covered, providing a full trans-Atlantic coverage for the first time (see www.TNASS.notlong.com). To increase the area covered, TNASS will take advantage of surveys and platforms of opportunity occurring in the same period in adjacent areas (e.g. the ICES Redfish survey, the Russian-Norwegian annual herring and mackerel survey, the ECO-MAR surveys). Simultaneously with TNASS, the European waters southeast and the American waters southwest of the TNASS area will be covered by the European CODA and the American Eastern Seaboard surveys respectively. The TNASS surveys will be conducted in summer 2007 using standard shipboard (visual and passive acoustic) and aerial survey techniques. Survey methods will incorporate the methodological development successfully implemented under the EU SCANS-II project (LIFE Program, see www.SCANS2.notlong.com). Survey methods will be standardised among all platforms and participating countries The synoptic overview over the largest area ever provided by these simultaneous surveys will represent a considerable enhancement of our understanding of cetacean populations in the North Atlantic and especially in the Arctic. The synoptic distribution, abundance and trend data together with the oceanographic data coming from the IPY ESSAR cluster may reveal connections better explaining the ecology of cetaceans in the area and crucial in determining the impact of climate changes, especially in Arctic ecosystems.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
With the inclusion of IPY CEDANA (Cetacean distribution and abundance in the north Atlantic's Arctic region #1084) and its links with the CODA and American (AESS) surveys, TNASS will provide the first complete synoptic coverage of the Atlantic’s Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. The synoptic overview in distribution, abundance and trends, set in the light of the oceanographic data from the IPY ESSAR (Ecosystem Studies of Sub-Arctic and Arctic Regions #155) cluster, will represent a considerable enhancement of our understanding of cetacean dynamics in the Arctic regions, especially when areas will be surveyed for the first time. The improved predictions will lead to sounder management programmes insuring the sustainability of cetacean populations which play a major role in Arctic communities’ culture and economy. TNASS will also become an obligatory reference for future polar cetacean researchers.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Canada (Maritime Provinces, Quebec and Nunavut), Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Russia cooperate in TNASS, which collaborates with the European project CODA (led by UK) and the American project AESS. TNASS is under the IPY cluster ESSAR (#155) and includes the IPY CEDANA (#1084) The TNASS has been endorsed by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and will use experts from European, American, Russian and Canadian institutes.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
TNASS will cover approximately from 80 °N to approximately 40 °N (See map on www.tnass.notlong.com), providing a full trans-Atlantic coverage for the first time and covering most of the continental shelf in the Arctic.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 06/07 – 09/07            
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Dedicated survey vessels and fixed-wing aircraft will be used for the sub-surveys. Non-dedicated whale surveys vessels will also be used when possible (e.g. ICES redfish survey). TNASS vessels can in some circumstances support other projects as long as these activities remain time-limited and can be done preferably at night and/or under sea conditions unsuitable for whale survey.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
There will be no legacy of physical infrastructure, but TNASS will leave a legacy in terms of a databank stored at the secretariat of the North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (NAMMCO), and a group of fully trained observers.

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

Support has already been secured from national agencies, NAMMCO and the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans International Governance Program (IGP).

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Yes - The project has been endorsed at all national levels, by the regional management body NAMMCO and by the IWC. The West Nordic Council has recently recommended that the west Nordic countries cooperate in cetacean research, and especially in obtaining reliable and accurate estimates of abundance (Rec. 3/2005, see http://www.vestnordisk.is/)

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?


TNASS is a component of a broader project since semi-decadal international surveys have been conducted 4 times since 1987 (NASS series). It is also a new project developed for the IPY 2007-2008, since it has been enlarged to allow a full synoptic coverage of the Atlantic Arctic and sub Arctic waters for the first time.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The activities of TNASS are coordinated by a steering committee, in which all sub-project leaders as well as external experts participate. Project leaders of the collaborating surveys, CODA and AESS, will also participate. The first meeting of the Steering Committee was held in March in Iceland, the next one will be held in conjunction with the next meeting of the NAMMCO Scientific Committee in Iceland in November 2006. The TNASS steering Committee will be represented at the ESSAR Scientific Steering Committee.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The project will have a website, linking to partners and funding agencies, the IPY/CEDANA (#1084) and IPY/ESSAR (#155) cluster. Results will be communicated at conferences and through peer-reviewed publications. TNASS includes the establishment of a public marine centres network in the participating countries, which will inform on the project and provide access to an online website during the surveys.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data management will be done through the participating institutions and the Secretariat of NAMMCO. Sub-project data will be managed according to partners Data Management Policy.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Funding is expected from multilateral sources. Support has already been secured from the national agencies, NAMMCO, and the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans International Governance Program (IGP). Further applications for funding have been/will be sent to oil companies and other national and international funds. Participating institutes will provide in-kind support.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Other project participants and steering group members (see 4.2): Bjarni Mikkelson, Faroese Museum of Natural History, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands. Mads-Peter Heide Jørgensen, Greenland Nature Institute, Nuuk, Greenland. Thorvaldur Gunnlaugsson, Marine Research Institute, Reykjavik,Iceland. V. Zabavnikov, Polar Research Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography, Murmansk, Russian Federation. Pierre Richard, DFO, Central & Arctic Region University Crescent, Winnipeg, Canada. Jean François Gosselin, DFO, Québec region, Maurice-Lamontagne Institute, Mont-Joli, Canada. Phil Hammond, Sea Mammal Research unit, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland. Greg Donovan, International Whaling Commission, Impington, CAMBRIDGE, UK.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Project co-ordinator Geneviève Desportes
Faroese Museum of Natural History
c/o GDnatur, Stejlestræde 9, DK-5300 Kerteminde, Denmark
c/o NAMMCO, Polar Environmental Centre, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway.

Tel: +45 6532 1767
Mobile: +45 2025 0267
Fax: +45 6532 1776
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation