Kat Nikolich, a Western Washington University (WWU) graduate research student, is collaborating with JASCO Applied Sciences to deploy one of its Autonomous Multichannel Acoustic Recorders (AMARs) this summer to measure the vocal repertoires of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) breeding in the northern Strait of Georgia, BC. Nikolich, who is completing a master’s degree in biology, will work with JASCO bioacoustics expert and pinniped specialist Dr. Héloïse Frouin-Mouy.

The specialized acoustic recorder will be anchored to the seabed near one of the largest seal haul-outs in the region, on the south shore of Hornby Island. The device will record sounds continuously from June through September, spanning the full breeding season of the seals. At the same time, a research team from WWU, comprised of a dedicated team of undergraduate students led by Kat, will observe the seals’ activity from the shore nearby.

JASCO Applied Sciences has deployed since early March two of its AMAR underwater sound monitoring systems on the VENUS underwater observatory for a technology demonstration and data gathering mission planned to last several months. VENUS (Victoria Experimental Network Under the Sea) is a cabled ocean observatory, in the Salish Sea coastal waters of British Columbia, operated by Ocean Networks Canada.

JASCO’s AMARs have been deployed at two locations on the VENUS Ocean Observatory in the Strait of Georgia. The primary purpose of this mission is to demonstrate the multi-sensor data collection and streaming capability of the AMAR. Of specific interest to scientists are the real-time detection, identification and localization of calls from individual Southern Resident Killer Whales, and the measurement of the underwater noise from vessels to which these animals may be exposed.

JASCO scientists Julien Delarue and Marie-Noël Matthews delivered a 2-day course on bioacoustics to 15 researchers and resource managers from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) at the Maurice Lamontagne Institute in Mont-Joli, QC on 20-21 March 2014. The course included modules on:

• Acoustic fundamentals
• Sound propagation modelling
• Effects of anthropogenic noise on marine life
• Mitigation and modelling of underwater sound
• International regulatory frameworks for underwater sound
• Acoustic monitoring programs and equipment
• Case studies from JASCO’s diverse project portfolio

The “JASCO Sound Crew” placed first out of 37 teams at the inaugural competition of Brain War, a fundraising event for the Discovery Centre held Saturday February 22 at Halifax’s Saint Mary’s University. The team consisting of Terry Deveau, Mikhail Zykov, Christopher Whitt, and Nicole Chorney competed in a 6 hour marathon of brain-straining challenges that tested their knowledge in science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

The JASCO team went on to win against the four other highest ranking groups at the February 27 Gala event and final where they faced off on stage in front of peers and spectators and won the championship trophy. The Gala was hosted by CBC News Nova Scotia host Tom Murphy and CBC Mainstreet's Stephanie Domet.