Monitoring underwater explosions in the habitat of resident bottlenose dolphins

Santos, Manuel Eduardo dos; Couchinho, Miguel Nogueira; Luís, Ana Rita; Gonçalves, Emanuel João

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/1368

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Authors

Santos, Manuel Eduardo dos

Couchinho, Miguel Nogueira

Luís, Ana Rita

Gonçalves, Emanuel João

Abstract(s)

Maintenance work on the harbor of Setu´bal, in Portugal, required the removal of a 14-m deep rocky outcrop at the ship maneuver area, using about 35 kg of Gelamonite, a nitroglycerin-based highexplosive. This important harbor is located in the Sado estuary, a biologically rich environment and an important feeding area for a resident community of bottlenose dolphins. Using different safe range calculation models, a mitigation and monitoring plan was developed that minimized the risks of these underwater explosions for the dolphins. At our monitoring station, at 2 km from the demolition site, acoustic pressure levels in excess of 170 dB re 1 lPa (root-mean-square) were measured. Samples of dead fish collected at the site were indicative of shock trauma from the blasts.