The project consists of three approaches. The first takes advantage of technology developed to track submarines. A fixed, bottom-mounted, passive acoustic array was installed off Jacksonville Beach. Processing of the signals received by the array is accomplished at the Naval Atlantic Meteorology and Oceanography Facility, Naval Air Station, Jacksonville. The EWS warns all ships in the area of the right whale sightings so they can avoid the animals.
Right whales have distinctive vocalizations, as do all marine mammals.
Samples of dolphin and whale calls can be heard by clicking on the names under the pictures. The second approach is similar to the bottom-mounted array. A towed array allows project personnel to go to the whales rather than waiting for the whales to come to them. Being able to detect right whales remotely using passive means will greatly decrease the probability of injury to the animals by transiting ships, both Navy and civilian. Improved right whale detection and avoidance allows all users of the Right Whale Critical Habitat to better meet environmental compliance directives and help save this highly endangered species from possible extinction.