Hawaiian Humpback Whales and ATOC: A Conflict of Interests

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Abstract
The island of Kauai has been selected as a site for the transmission of high-intensity low-frequency sounds as part of the ATOC project. However, Kauai is also a winter habitat of increasing importance to humpback whales and endangered species. Major reproductive activities-seeking and finding mates, and bearing and rearing calves-take place in Kauai and other areas of the humpback's winter range. At Kauai, male whales produce long, complex songs throughout the winter months. The songs are dynamic in composition but all singers tend to converge on the same rendition at the same time, indicating they are listening to one another. Also, females may derive information from the song about the singer's desirability or fitness as a mate. Components of the song lie within the frequency band of the ATOC signal. During ATOC transmissions these components will be partially masked, making them less detectable or recognizable to listening whales, and thereby degrading auditory communication. Also, whales residing in the waters of north Kauai for extended periods will be exposed to the potentially stressful effects of the high ambient noise levels produced byATOC transmissions, but these effects will be difficult to detect by any behavioral monitoring program. It is recommended, therefore, that the ATOC project seek an alternative site for its sound transmissions that is not regularly inhabited by humpback whales or other endangered baleen whales having low-frequency hearing. Several alternative sites are suggested.

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