Interested parties: CRE is conducting a peer review of “A Review of the Effects of Seismic Surveys on Marine Mammals”.
The study is available at A Review of Sesimic Surveys.pdf (324 KB)
A library of the studies referenced in the aforementioned Review has been compiled to make it easier for the public to submit comments. The library also contains many of the regulatory filings made by CRE in the past decade on marine sound.
Studies posted on this page need not be limited to the articles referenced in the aforementiioned “Review”; please feel free to add other studies of particular significance by sending copies of the studies to CRE by making a post with a copy of the study as an attachment to CRE.
This paricular Review was choosen as our initial subject for peer review because the studies identified therein utilize a wide range of methdodolgies to determine the physical and behavioral effects of sesimic operations and any resultant shortcomings in those methodolgies are likely to prevail generically in all or most such studies using those methodolgies.
There are upwards to 150 reports identified in the Review. CRE envisions two types of comments; one set aimed at cross-cutting issues applicable to a number of the studies and the other comments addressed to a specific study.
Based upon CRE’s past experience in conducting peer reviews of a wide range of subject areas, obtaining comments specific to a particular study presents the biggest challenge.
For short comments which are not accompanied by a document to be attached to the comments you may wish to use the “comment” section below this post.. More detailed comments which are accompanied by an attached document can be made by using the posting capability to the right of this post. Please note the “Send” button is located below the software used to attach a document.
In posting comments no registration is required and comments may be made anonymously. See this description of an IPD which discusses in detail the incentives federal regulators have to review and download information from an IPD, the most fundamental being the regulatory expertise and federal credentials of the managers of the organization which hosts the IPD.
As noted in the preceding post, CRE Brazil will be leading the effort to seek the continued input from national regulators and NGO’s.
The aforementioned peer reviews should be consistent with the peer review guidelines issued by OMB pursuant to the Data Quality Act aka Informatiion Quality Act; a statute initially proposed by CRE which is described in detail in a government publication, the Naval Law Review.
CRE will issue periodic reports to federal regulators and the public based upon the comments received herein.
Professor Engel of Brazil conducted a study entitled “Are seismic surveys responsible for cetacean strandings? An unusual mortality of adult Humpback Whales in Abrolhos Bank, Northeastern coast of Brazil.’
See http://www.norskoljeoggass.no/PageFiles/6574/Effects%20of%20seismic%20surveys%20on%20fish,%20fish%20catches%20and%20sea%20mammals.pdf?epslanguage=no
The International Whaling Commission overstated the impact of seismic operations on marine mammals as set forth in the Engel study and CRE called this misstatement to the attention of NOAA as a violation of the Data Quality Act
http://thecre.com/pdf/20051228.pdf
Upon review of the CRE position and much to its credit, NMFS stated very clearly that the IWC had mischaracterized the results of the Engel study.
http://www.thecre.com/pdf/NOAA-IWC_Letter.pdf
It is clear that in developing regulations with respect to the BOEM petition to NMFS regarding incidental takes that the Data Quality Act provides a statutory metric for judging studies.
I note on the Library page the following entry:
CRE Files Comments on BOEMRE’s Revised Take Application for Gulf of Mexico Seismic
http://www.thecre.com/creipd/?p=628
Has CRE’s position changed?
CRE Response
CRE’s position remains as written in the submission; however it is subject to change pending the results of the current review.