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STUDY TITLE: Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) Program for the northern Gulf of Mexico (NSL#GM15-02)

REPORT TITLE: Literature synthesis on passive acoustic monitoring projects and sound sources in the 

Gulf of Mexico

CONTRACT NUMBER: Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract No. M17PC00001, Task 

Order No. M17PD00011

SPONSORING OCS REGION: Gulf of Mexico

APPLICABLE PLANNING AREA(S): Western Gulf of Mexico, Central Gulf of Mexico, Eastern Gulf of 

Mexico

FISCAL YEAR(S) OF PROJECT FUNDING: 2017

COMPLETION DATE OF REPORT: October 2017

COSTS: FY 2017: $83,165.31

PROJECT MANAGER(S): Anwar A. Khan

AFFILIATION of Project manager: HDR, Inc.

ADDRESS: 3250 West Commercial Blvd, Suite 100, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S): Latusek-Nabholz, Jennifer N., Amy D. Whitt, Dagmar Fertl, Dennis R. 

Gallien, and Natalia Sidorovskaia

KEY WORDS: acoustic, baseline, noise, PAM, EARS, HARPs, MARUs, signal processing

BRIEF ABSTRACT: Readily available literature and data on prior and ongoing passive acoustic 

monitoring (PAM) projects in the three Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) planning areas in 

the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) (Eastern, Central, and Western) were searched and compiled with online 

databases, literature, and Internet. The search focused on gathering a variety of literature types on 

biological and physical ambient noise levels in the GOM. The review also focused on PAM projects for 

marine mammals in the GOM and on anthropogenic sound sources in the region. The focus was on 

collecting information from the last 15 years of studies; some research in the GOM was included as far 

back as 1991.

BACKGROUND: Commercial databases, search tools, and email list servers were used in the search for 

data on PAM projects in the GOM. Key search terms and phrases were used to conduct methodical 

queries of databases and the World Wide Web. The search included terms in all fields (title, abstract, etc.) 

referencing noise and/or sound, research method, marine mammal species of interest, specific BOEM 

planning areas and GOM features of interest, and/or specific researchers/institutions, funding sources, 

and monitoring programs. Studies generally pertained to PAM studies in the northern GOM. Selected 

references on research methods and PAM studies were consulted that occurred outside the region 

because similar studies may be lacking or nonexistent in the Gulf , but may be useful either to 

characterize PAM work in general and/or to provide suggestions on the future BOEM PAM Program for 

the Northern GOM. 

OBJECTIVES:

1. Characterize potential sound sources in the GOM.

2. Summarize the state of current knowledge on GOM baseline acoustic noise levels.
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3. Investigate existing methodologies for acoustic source detection, localization, tracking, and 

classification of marine mammals.

4. Identify via spatial mapping previous and current study areas. 

5. Identify the most appropriate field methodologies and protocols for measuring the acoustic 

environment in the GOM.

DESCRIPTION: Available and relevant literature and data on previous and ongoing passive acoustic 

monitoring in the GOM were compiled. This information was reviewed to characterize potential sound 

sources and their distribution in the GOM, as well as to identify existing methodologies for acoustic 

source detection, localization, tracking, and classification. Acoustic sources encompass weather events, 

industrial and military activities (including the use of explosives), shipping, animal vocalizations, and 

geological events. This review was conducted under the BOEM’s PAM Program for the Northern GOM. 

The primary objective of the program is to design and implement a multi-year acoustic data collection and 

monitoring plan for both the acoustic and the biotic environments in the GOM further defining the 

associated baseline soundscapes.

SIGNIFICANT CONCLUSIONS: Thirty-two projects have been conducted in the GOM using PAM since 

1991. Eight of these reviewed studies were specifically designed to gather data on ambient noise in the 

GOM, and the other 24 studies were designed to gather information on marine mammals using PAM. The 

majority of data collection efforts focused primarily upon the Eastern and Central GOM. Additionally, PAM 

surveys have tended to be in waters of the continental shelf and slope down to approximately 2,000 

meters (6,562 feet) deep; only two surveys were in waters extending to approximately 3,200 meters 

(10,499 feet).

STUDY RESULTS: Three databases were identified as containing PAM data from the GOM. OBISSEAMAP, GoMRI GRIIDC, and Tethys contained some information and data on PAM studies conducted 

in the GOM. However, all data were not available in the systems and some of the data only were 

available through requests to and direct communication with the various respective researchers.

STUDY PRODUCT(S):

Latusek-Nabholz JN, Whitt AD, Fertl D, Gallien DR, Ampela K, Khan AA, Sidorovskaia N. 2019. 

Literature synthesis on passive acoustic monitoring projects and sound sources in the Gulf of 

Mexico. New Orleans (LA): Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Contract No.: M17PC00001. 

OCS Study BOEM 2020-009. 104 p.