Marine Monitor (M2): A new approach for measuring human activity in Haro Strait

Overlap of vessel activity and cetacean habitat is of concern in coastal areas due to potential impacts on individuals and populations, such as underwater noise masking the signals of soniferous species. These impacts are relevant in the Salish Sea as it is habitat for endangered Southern Resident killer whales and other marine mammals and is utilized by a wide variety of vessel types. Shipping traffic and the underwater soundscape are well-studied, but assessments have primarily used data provided by the Automatic Identification System (AIS). Smaller vessels, such as pleasure craft and fishing boats, that are not legally required to broadcast AIS information, can be missed in these studies. For two years, Marine Monitor (M2), a vessel monitoring platform, has been used to track vessels through Haro Strait regardless of their participation in AIS to provide a more complete picture of vessel activity in the area. M2 utilizes commercial off-the-shelf marine radar to autonomously and continuously track all vessels within its range from shore. Vessel positions provided by the radar system direct a camera to capture photos so that vessel type can be classified. A broad overview of both AIS and non-AIS vessels across the full M2 deployment will be provided using vessel counts and transit hours. While much research has been done to quantify shipping in the Salish Sea, complex interactions between cetaceans and vessels of all types are still not well understood. M2 offers a new platform using traditional tools that can help fill data gaps in a location where these interactions likely occur. Results will help to quantify human activity in a heavily trafficked area. Further, collaboration with the Orcasound hydrophone network will integrate acoustic data and image classification techniques in an effort to further refine our understanding of human impacts on the Salish Sea in the future.