Integrated Marine Buoys For Real-Time Passive Acoustic Monitoring Of Birds, Bats, and Whales Using Neural Networks

360 surviving individuals. They are found in areas desirable for windfarms which are an important renewable energy source, so it is cri􀆟cal to avoid harming NARW during windfarm construc􀆟on and opera􀆟on. There also is concern that offshore windfarms could be sited in the path of and poten􀆟ally harm migra􀆟ng birds and bats. Passive acous􀆟c monitoring (PAM) provides a way to detect and localize animals using their unique vocaliza􀆟ons to minimize any poten􀆟al harm resul􀆟ng from windfarm construc􀆟on or opera􀆟on. Automa􀆟c PAM with high precision and recall allows the iden􀆟fica􀆟on of individual species of whales, birds, and bats present near windfarms, thus complemen􀆟ng exis􀆟ng technologies which lack this capability. This project will develop Narwhal, a botom- sta􀆟oning profiling buoy that listens con􀆟nuously for whales, and then rises to the surface to transmit whale detec􀆟on data; and Skylark, a skyward-aimed parabolic dish to detect and iden􀆟fy bird and bat migra􀆟on calls. Working prototypes will require development of neural networks to detect and iden􀆟fy all incoming whale vocaliza􀆟ons, plus bird and bat migra􀆟on calls. With the successful development of this system, windfarm developers and other stakeholders will have access to a dashboard showing the real-􀆟me loca􀆟ons of NARW so they can adjust their ac􀆟vi􀆟es to avoid their harm. Addi􀆟onally, they will know when migra􀆟ng birds are nearby, including any important or endangered species. Researchers will be able to access the data for study and to create policy or best prac􀆟ces to protect these animals. The commercializa􀆟on poten􀆟al of this work is high since the buoys could be used to monitor highly trafficked areas where there also is a risk of NARW collision.