Marine Acoustics, Inc. (MAI) successfully completed the initial deployment of five omnidirectional acoustic mooring systems in early August 2023 in southern New England waters off Rhode Island and Massachusetts. MAI is part of the team led by LGL Ecological Research Associates, Inc., who is conducting the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM’s) “Passive Acoustic Monitoring in the Massachusetts and Rhode Island Wind Energy Areas” project. The project includes recovering, refurbishing, and redeploying the passive acoustic mooring systems every 6 months over the next 2 years. The objective of BOEM’s project, which supports the Partnership for an Offshore Wind Energy Regional Observation Network (POWERON) program, is to conduct long-term passive acoustic monitoring of wind farm construction activities and of the presence of marine mammals.
MAI chartered the MV Tiki XIV out of Lewes, DE to deploy the mooring systems, which each include an omnidirectional hydrophone and acoustic recorder. The moorings have no surface expression as the top of the mooring is about 27 feet above the seafloor.
MAI provides the geographic locations of the five passive acoustic monitoring moorings offshore of Rhode Island and Massachusetts so that fishermen and other mariners are aware of their locations and can avoid inadvertent interactions with these moorings:
Mooring Number |
Mooring Geographic Location |
1 |
71°9’37.609″W, 40°52’17.358″N |
2 |
70°48’30.675″W 40°50’33.595″N |
3b |
69°58’42.642″W 40°48’37.668″N |
4 |
70°42’15.473″W 40°40’8.467″N |
5 |
70°28’7.774″W 40°39’16.272″N |
Please contact MAI with any questions or for more information (moc.s1733797693citsu1733797693ocaen1733797693iram@1733797693ofni1733797693).