CLA, in partnership with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), deployed several TR-Porpoise hydrophones in 2019 throughout LFA 34 to detect the presence of baleen whales, including North Atlantic Right Whales by recording their calls with hydrophones, and analyzing those recordings.
This project showed great promise for the detection of North Atlantic Right Whales and on at least one deployment, recorded humpback whale vocalizations were observed, indicating that if Right Whales were vocalizing in the area they could have been recorded too.
The hydrophones consisted of a broadband underwater acoustic recorder, processor, and real time data acquisition system that supports single hydrophone channel and a very high sampling rate.
The rapid deployment and recovery of lobster trawls also showed that acoustic data can be retrieved at a low cost using this approach. CLA has volunteered to participate in the continuation of acoustic monitoring using the TR-Porpoise hydrophones during the 2020 lobster season.
