Marine Mammal Acoustic Technical Guidance & Other Acoustic Tools
NMFS Acoustic Thresholds, Tools, and Technical Guidance
NMFS Acoustic Thresholds and Tools
- Summary of Marine Mammal Protection Act Acoustic Thresholds (pdf, 7 pages)
- Summary of Endangered Species Act Acoustic Thresholds (Fishes and Sea Turtles) (pdf, 14 pages)
- Introduction to NMFS’s Multi-Species Pile Driving Calculator and Associated Multi-Species Pile Driving Calculator
- Recommendation for High-resolution Geophysical Source & Transmission Loss Analysis and Associated Level B Harassment Isopleth Calculator
- Acoustic Guidance for Assessment of Down-the-Hole (DTH) Systems
- 2024 Revision to Technical Guidance for Assessing the Effects of Anthropogenic Sound on Marine Mammal Hearing (pdf, 193 pages)
- 2024 User Spreadsheet Tool (optional) (MS Excel) (October 2024)
- 2018 User Spreadsheet Tool (optional) (MS Excel)- During transition to 2024 Updated Technical Guidance (for comparison purposes only)
- Instruction Manual for User Spreadsheet Tool (optional) (pdf, 103 pages) (Updated December 2020)
NMFS 2024 Updated Technical Guidance (AUD INJ/TTS)
Purpose of the Updated Technical Guidance
The Updated Technical Guidance (PDF,193 pages) provides thresholds for onset of auditory injury (AUD INJ) and temporary threshold shifts (TTS) in marine mammal hearing for all underwater and airborne sound sources based on updated data. It is intended to be used by NOAA analysts and managers, other federal agencies, and other relevant user groups/stakeholders to better predict how a marine mammal’s hearing will respond to sound exposure underwater and in-air.
To develop these thresholds, NOAA Fisheries compiled, interpreted, and synthesized best available information on the effects of anthropogenic sound on marine mammals' hearing, as well as developed a method for updating these levels through a systematic, transparent process. The Updated Technical Guidance outlines NOAA Fisheries' acoustic thresholds and describes in detail how the thresholds were developed and how they will be updated in the future.
The 2024 Updated Technical Guidance was finalized on October 24, 2024 with publication of a Federal Register notice (89 FR 84872).
Review Process for 2024 Updated Technical Guidance
The Updated Technical Guidance has completed a Peer Review (October/November 2022), Federal Agency Preview (May/June 2023), and public comment (May/June 2024).
Status of Technical Guidance for Marine Mammal Behavioral Disturbance
NMFS is in the process of updating our marine mammal behavioral disturbance criteria. We have already undergone an internal review of our draft guidance and recently (July 2024) began the peer review of this document via the Center for Independent Experts.
Previous Versions of Technical Guidance (PTS/TTS)
Revised Technical Guidance (2018)
Section 10 of the Presidential Executive Order 13795, Implementing an America-First Offshore Energy Strategy (April 28, 2017) called for a review of the 2016 Technical Guidance. To assist the Secretary of Commerce in his review under EO 13795, NOAA Fisheries conducted a 45-day public comment period that opened on May 31, 2017 and closed July 17, 2017 (82 FR 24950) and held a meeting with federal agencies (September 25, 2017). Comments received are available on regulations.gov.
2016 Technical Guidance
The 2016 Technical Guidance underwent an internal review, three external peer reviews, a follow-up peer review, three public comment periods (Comments received during all the public comment periods are available on regulations.gov), and received informal input from key federal partners. The 2016 Technical Guidance was finalized on August 4th, 2016 with publication of a Federal Register Notice (81 FR 51693).
For more information, please contact:
Amy R. Scholik-Schlomer
NMFS Protected Resources Acoustic Coordinator
1315 East West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
(301) 427-8449
Amy.Scholik@noaa.gov