Overview of Germany’s activities relating to underwater noise in the framework of the implementation of the MSFD Joint HELCOM/BIAS Workshop, November 26 th 2014, Helsinki Jens Fischer, Maria Boethling, Jochen Köning , Ilona Büscher and Kai Herklotz Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency, Hamburg, Germany
Overview Topics • General • Ambient noise (monitoring) • Impulsive noise (registry) • German Navy; restrictions and contributions 2 November 26, 2014
General Formation of a national expert group to work out a strategy for handling the topic underwater sound in German waters (in the framework of MSFD) • three federal agencies BSH, BfN and UBA are involved • experts from state governmental agencies, the German Navy, research institutes and consultants Federal Maritime and Federal Agency for Federal Environmental Hydrographic Agency ( BSH ) Nature Conversation ( BfN ) Agency ( UBA ) 3 November 26, 2014
General Core tasks of the working group • development of a concept for ambient noise monitoring and standardization • development of the national underwater noise registry Both issues are part of current discussion. National responsibilities are defined only for the register 4 November 26, 2014
Ambient noise (monitoring) Possible Approach (BSH) • Development of standards for ambient noise monitoring and measurements, based on the experiences gathered in BIAS and the measurements in the North Sea by itap All activities are part of research and development projects involving external assistance • connections to potential international monitoring projects 5 November 26, 2014
Ambient noise (monitoring) Current Status: • Examination of existing data for the quantification of open questions Existing sound measuring points (since 2010) (measurement requirements, positions, intervals, etc.) • Definition of specifications for sound measuring points • Compilation / comparison of existing acoustic models and their properties for the determination of reliable noise maps 6 November 26, 2014
Ambient noise (monitoring) Milestones • 2015: Test measurements for evaluation of measurement requirements • March 2015 : Publication of a report for a German underwater sound monitoring concept • Workshop in the framework of the TG-Noise to discuss issues of monitoring the ambient noise and standardisation (8-9 April 2015) in Hamburg (BSH), Germany Planning of the workshop is currently in progress; Specific information will be distributed as soon as possible! 7 November 26, 2014
Impulsive noise (registry) Current Status: • BSH is the responsible agency for the national register of impulsive sound • a sound information service is being developed, which should cover the export for the needs of the MSFD • first data exports are planned for August / September 2015 (fully operable 2016/2017) 8 November 26, 2014
Impulsive noise (registry) Regarding reporting of impacts of pile driving • Source level and hammer energy? Source level is depending on Pile/hammer energy, pile diameter, pile length, penetration depth, soil properties and type of mitigation system Generic example, Two different piles (pile/hammer diameter, slightly different pile energy) with and without mitigation system ΔL [dB] L E [dB] L E [dB] without mitigation with mitigation level difference X kJ 170.1 151.7 18.4 (X +300) kJ 181.7 167.5 14.1 9 November 26, 2014
Impulsive noise (registry) Reporting of “manipulate” (due to mitigation technics) noise • For the noise registry we propose to take the measured SPL at the distance of 750m for the whole system that means including the noise mitigation system • Actually no advice for recalculation to 1m exists. Need for standard procedure (e.g. 15 Log r) • Which grid sizes are appropriate for the reporting (e.g. comparable with target species countings 10x10 km) 10 November 26, 2014
German Navy; restrictions and contributions Noise monitoring • All noise measurements must be reported to the German Navy in advance. National and international data-sharing is subject of restrictions Only “processed “ (averaged values ) could be shared with others 1. 2. RAW-data must stored in an appropriate way 3. Germany Navy can block measurement periods (e.g. weeks with high naval fleet activities within specific areas ) 11 November 26, 2014
German Navy; restrictions and contributions Noise registry • As long as the interests of the military and national security are not endangered, the German Navy reports (on voluntary basis) impulsive noise events into the national registry 1. Territorial limitation: • coastal waters and in the German EEZ 2. Accuracy of position information: grid of 2 ° x 2 ° (North Sea five cells/ Baltic Sea three cells) • 3. Accuracy of temporal information: • monthly reporting with a one year delay 4. Sonar pulses / classification: only two classes (> 176 & > 210 dB) 12 November 26, 2014
reminder Workshop in the framework of the TG-Noise to discuss issues of monitoring the ambient noise and standardisation (8-9 April 2015) in Hamburg (BSH), Germany 13 November 26, 2014
Vielen Dank! 14 November 26, 2014
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