PROJECTS

Port of Alaska Modernization Program - Petroleum and Cement Terminal - 2020 and 2021
Sub-contracted by Pacific Pile and Marine (PPM)
  • Produced and implemented the Marine Mammal Mitigation and Monitoring Plan required by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in the Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA)
  • Provided scheduling, logistics, and equipment for field data collection
  • Trained and employed 20+ PSOs to monitor for marine mammals and collect construction activity and environmental data at four observer stations located along 9 kilometers of the southeastern shore near the entrance to Knik Arm
  • Designed and built a proprietary database collection system to capture project-specific data; theodolite-integrated for precision animal tracking and monitoring
  • Supplied eleven PSOs daily totaling over 1,200 hours (2020) of observer monitoring for in-water construction activities
  • Developed maps and figures of marine mammal movements in the project area
  • Produced daily, weekly and monthly reports as required by the IHA
  • Analyzed data and authored the 90-day Final Report as required by the IHA
Seward Marine Industrial Center Dock Repair - 2013
Sub-contracted by Orion Marine Group to provide protected species monitoring and mitigation
  • Provided PSO to monitor marine mammals and threatened/endangered bird species in the project area
  • Developed data collection protocols and sighting forms
  • Provided equipment for field data collection
  • Analyzed data and authored the final report for the project
Marine Mammal Baseline Study - Cook Inlet Region, Inc. (CIRI) - Fire Island 2011 - 2013
Working with Jay Brueggeman of Canyon Creek Consulting, and contracted by Perkins Coie on behalf of CIRI, we conducted a baseline study of marine mammal occurrence in upper Cook Inlet between Point Campbell and Fire Island. 
  • Employed and trained eight biologists 
  • Constructed all-weather observation shelter on bluff overlooking inlet
  • Provided scheduling, logistics, and equipment for field data collection
  • Developed data collection protocol and tool to convert inclinometer and bearing to latitude and longitude for marine mammal tracking
  • Developed maps and figures of marine mammal movements in study area
  • Conducted field work 7 days a week, for a total of 3,800 hours over 226 days - collected 13000 lines of environmental and sighting data
  • Recorded data for 121 marine mammal groups including group composition, behavior, location and direction of travel
  • Produced weekly summaries and figures using ArcGIS for client
  • Analyzed data and co-authored the final report available on NMFS Cook Inlet Beluga Research Archive here.
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(Photo credit: Kristina Smolenski – The Photo Gecko)
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Port of Anchorage Marine Terminal Redevelopment Project – North Expansion  (March 2009 – October 2011)
Sub-contracted by prime contractors Quality Asphalt Paving in 2009 and West Construction Company Inc. (now Orion Marine) in 2010 and 2011. 
  • Employed and trained twenty-one full and part time marine mammal observers (MMOs) for a total of over 16,000 field hours
  • Provided equipment and logistical support for five observation stations monitoring approximately 25 square kilometers near POA expansion
  • Prepared and revised marine mammal protection plan for client, management team, and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
  • Updated NMFS-approved marine mammal sighting forms
  • Documented locations and behaviors of beluga whales, stellar sea lions, harbor seals, and harbor porpoises per NMFS requirements
  • Communicated sightings of animals via radio with construction crew to meet mitigation requirements
  • Documented “takes” of marine mammals that entered ensonified zones during in-water work as defined by the IHA/LOA
  • Produced a MMO handbook for responsibilities in the field
  • Produced figures with ArcGIS for training and field use

Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority - HDR Alaska - Proof of Concept Study (Sept. 2011)
  • Contracted by HDR Alaska, Inc. to assist with the execution of a "proof of concept" marine mammal study
  • Study compared detection rates of visual observations of belugas with detection rates of simultaneous hydro-acoustic monitoring
  • Provided 3 PSOs to the project and assisted with logistics and observation platform construction
  • Staffed a four-person observation station with 25 X 150 mm binoculars, 7 X 50 mm binoculars, naked eye/theodolite, and data entry
  • Developed tool to convert theodolite measurements to latitude/longitude coordinates for mapping of marine mammal movements

Apache Alaska Corporation - Cook Inlet 2D Seismic Test - (March 2011 - April 2011)
  • Contracted by Fairweather Science LLC the lead contractor for the seismic testing logistics and vessel support
  • Assisted in the development of training materials, field manual, and sighting forms for Protected Species Observers (PSO) 
  • Assisted in the training of PSOs for project
  • Provided 4 qualified vessel-based PSOs to observe for marine mammals and threatened/endangered bird species in the project area, communicate sightings for shut-downs, record sighting data, and record environmental data