Acoustic Exposure Experimentation for Sensitive Fish Species

Principal Investigator:Dr. Mark S. Bevelhimer

Participating staff: Chris DeRolph, Michael Schramm

Project start date: FY2012

Project end date: FY2015

Energy devices are critical in attaining test permits and licenses to operate. (MHK) energy devices is a critical part of getting test permits and licenses to operate. The amount of noise produced by a single device or an array of devices is largely unknown, as are the effects that such noise might have on the behavior of resident and transient aquatic organisms. Anthropogenic noise can interfere with daily movements and seasonal migration patterns, detection of prey and predators, and communication among con-specifics. Fish hearing thresholds can be used to indicate sound perception but not necessarily a negative impact or reaction. Ideally, reactions and effects should be determined directly in controlled laboratory, mesocosm, or field settings. The primary study objectives were to

1. Characterize sound produced by hydrokinetic turbines and evaluate it relative to hearing thresholds of relevant fish species
2. Characterize ambient sound field (natural and unnatural) for a baseline by which to compare turbine sound levels
3. Conduct exposure studies to assess the behavioral response of fish to turbine sound

Significance

The objective of this study is to test the behavioral response of fish to sound emanating from MHK turbines using fish species (or related surrogate species) that have the characteristics that make them a concern for turbine noise effects (i.e., species of special concern, species of commercial or recreational value, and species with sensitive hearing ability).

Informing a Tidal Turbine Strike Probability Model through Characterization of Fish Behavioral Response using Multibeam Sonar Output

Principal Investigator:Dr. Mark S. Bevelhimer

Participating staff: Chris DeRolph, Michael Schramm

Project start date: FY2014

Project end date: FY2015

One of the most important biological “next step” questions facing the MHK industry is understanding whether the behavior of aquatic organisms as they encounter an MHK device affects the likelihood of their being struck or injured by the device. Project developers may have difficulty getting licenses to operate if they are not able to convince regulators that blade impact on fish will be unlikely and/or have minimal or no impact on fish populations. Providing defensible scientifically-based answers to this question has proved challenging because of the small number of devices that have been in the water and the difficulty with sampling in high energy environments where these devices are tested. The results from this study will support DOE’s goal of 1) increasing energy production from renewable waterpower (specifically marine and hydrokinetic energy) and 2) speeding development by providing information that will be useful in license application and regulator decision-making.

1. Characterize sound produced by hydrokinetic turbines and evaluate it relative to hearing thresholds of relevant fish species
2. Characterize ambient sound field (natural and unnatural) for a baseline by which to compare turbine sound levels
3. Conduct exposure studies to assess the behavioral response of fish to turbine sound

Significance

Reduce deployment barriers and environmental impacts of MHK technologies.

Industery Partner Verdant Power, Inc.