TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Sensors, Electronics, Battlespace

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PEO IWS

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation.

OBJECTIVE: Generate a software-based tool for use by environmental and operation (mission) planners so informed and scientifically based decisions can be made to avoid or decrease interactions with protected marine species (marine mammals, sea turtles, fishes, gastropods, pelagic birds, and coral) for all Navy at-sea activities.

DESCRIPTION: Two necessary components of effective environmental and mission planning are determination of risk to protected species and development of protective measures that avoid or lessen those potential risks. To achieve a valid and defensible result, it is essential that operational risk assessments contain as much information as possible about protected species including their distribution, seasonality of occurrence, density, behavior, habitat usage, key life history parameters (e.g., migration, reproductive timing), anthropogenic threat sources, and responses to those sources. Devising an effective plan of protective measures depends not only upon knowledge of what is operationally feasible and causes the least effect on the mission but also on what is the optimal conservation method(s) to reduce impact on protected species.

Existing Navy databases individually provide some of this information (e.g., Navy OPAREA Density Estimates [NODE], Strategic Environmental Research and Develop Program [SERDP]-funded spatial models of marine mammal density and habitat, Marine Wildlife Behavior Database (MWBD), Protective Measures Assessment and Planning [PMAP], Living Marine Resource Information System [LMRIS], and the NUWC beaked whale database). However, no system integrates these data and information nor provides the needed environmental, behavior, anthropogenic threat sources and information, or life history information in an integratible form. The need for a system to integrate existing databases as well as additional data and information for protected species is essential to the Navy�s continued ability to fulfill its mission at sea.

PHASE I: Demonstrate the proof of concept by selecting one small taxon of protected species, fishes, and develop a data collection plan, database sharing agreements, and determine feasibility of software system development by beginning development of the software interface that is capable of storing, querying, and visualizing the information and data on distribution, density, seasonality, behavior, key life history parameters, known anthropogenic risk sources including sound, habitat usage, and protective measures in a geospatial format.

PHASE II: Fully develop prototype of integrated software system for fish data/information using the lessons learned from Phase I. Demonstrate the usefulness and viability of the resulting software system by selecting a real-time operation scenario, either a sea-test or routine exercise, in a realistic geographic area. The resulting detailed risk information to protected fish as well as the plan of protective measures will be assessed for effectiveness and feasibility.

PHASE III: Develop the software system by fully integrating all existing databases as well as data and information for all other protected species taxon. Transition the software system into the mission and environmental planning communities for use in environmental compliance documentation and planning of tests and exercises with the least risk to protected species.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: This software system has a direct application and is usable for the commercial fishery, oil and gas exploration (seismic), and marine construction industries where environmental compliance and determination of risk to protected species from their activities is necessary.

REFERENCES:
1. DoN (Department of the Navy). 2007. Navy OPAREA Density estimate for the Gulf of Mexico, Final Report. Contract number N62470-02-D-9997, CTO 46. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia.

2. MacLeod, C.D. and A. D�Amico. 2006. A review of beaked whale behavior and ecology in relation to assessing and mitigating impacts of anthropogenic noise. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 7(3): 211-221.

3. Tyack, P.L., J. Gordon, and D. Thompson. 2003/04. Controlled exposure experiments to determine the effects of noise on marine animals. Marine Technology Society Journal 37(4): 41-53.

KEYWORDS: protected species, mission planning, protective measures, risk assessment, anthropogenic sources, environmental planning, databases

TPOC: Joe Johnson
Phone: (202)781.2096
Fax: (202)781.4524
Email: [email protected]

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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