Marine mammal fauna of potential OTEC sites in the Gulf of Mexico and Hawaii
Twenty-seven marine mammal species have been recorded for the Gulf of Mexico, including 7 Mysticetes or baleen whales, 17 Odontocetes or toothed whales, 1 Sirenian (manatee), and 1 or 2 Pinnipeds or seals. The most common species in the Gulf is the bottlenosed dolphin, an inshore species. Offshore, the spotted dolphin, is fairly common. Most other species are recorded from very few sightings or strandings. None of the endangered species is common in potential OTEC sites in the Gulf of Mexico. Twenty-two marine mammals may occur in Hawaii; 2 Mystecetes, 19 Odonotocetes, and the endemic monk seal. The monk seal, an endangered species, lives in the extreme northwestern island chain away from potential OTEC sites. Among the most common cetaceans in Hawaii is the endangered humpback whale. The spinner dolphin and the bottlenosed dolphin are also fairly common. The baleen whales feed on zooplankton during the summer in polar waters, and are migratory, while the toothed whales feed mainly on fish and squid, and are found in temperate or tropical regions year-round. The manatee is vegetarian and the pinnipeds are fish- or squid-eaters. Environmental effects of OTEC which may affect mammals are: toxic effects of biocide release or ammonia spill, biostimulating effects of seawater redistribution, oil spills, or effects of the physical presence of OTEC plants.
- Research Organization:
- California Univ., Berkeley (USA). Lawrence Berkeley Lab.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 5995717
- Report Number(s):
- LBL-9055; CONF-790631-4
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 6. OTEC conference, Washington, DC, USA, 19 Jun 1979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
14 SOLAR ENERGY
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AMMONIA
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
ANTIFOULANTS
CETACEANS
POPULATION DYNAMICS
COASTAL WATERS
MAMMALS
OCEAN THERMAL POWER PLANTS
MANATEES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
OIL SPILLS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
CHEMICAL EFFLUENTS
ENDANGERED SPECIES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GULF OF MEXICO
HAWAII
ISOLATED VALUES
PACIFIC OCEAN
ANIMALS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
CARIBBEAN SEA
DATA
DATA FORMS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
PLANTS
POWER PLANTS
SEAS
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
VERTEBRATES
WESTERN REGION
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