Department of the Navy: This is an image of the United States Department of the Navy logo

 

U.S. Marine Corps: This is an image of the United States Marine Corps logo.

U.S. Coast Guard: This is an image of the United States Coast Guard logo.

Department of the Army: This is an image of the United States Department of the Army logo.

Department of the Air Force: This is an image of the United States Department of the Air Force logo.

 

 
 

 

The Navy continues to be a world leader in marine species research and monitoring, having funded marine research programs, surveys, and data collection efforts since 1992. The Navy has committed approximately 250 million dollars over the past decade to marine mammal and in-water acoustic research.  

One of the Navy’s research objectives is to increase understanding of marine mammal reactions to sound and provide a more robust scientific basis for estimating the effects on marine mammals from Navy activities. 

Throughout the Mariana Islands, the Navy has supported and funded marine species research and monitoring projects, such as studies on local humpback whale populations, beaked whale behaviors, and sea turtle abundance. Monitoring allows Navy scientists to develop a better understanding of the whales’ distribution, movement patterns, habitat use, population structure, and abundance.

Marine Species Research
and Monitoring

The Navy is a world leader in marine species research, investing more than $20 million each year in research and monitoring.

This is an image of a humpback whale near Saipan.

 

Navy research and monitoring of marine species helps to:

  • Build a better understanding of abundance, distribution, foraging, reproduction, hearing, sound production, and behavior.
  • Refine methods used to detect and monitor species.
  • Advance the understanding of the effects of underwater sound.
  • Improve models used to estimate potential effects of underwater sound.
  • Use adaptive management strategies to establish mitigation guidelines to better protect marine species.