title: Monitoring underwater explosions in the habitat of resident bottlenose dolphins.
abstract: Maintenance work on the harbor of Setúbal, in Portugal, required the removal of a 14-m deep rocky outcrop at the ship maneuver area, using about 35 kg of Gelamonite, a nitroglycerin-based high-explosive. This important harbor is located in the Sado estuary, a biologically rich environment and an important feeding area for a resident community of bottlenose dolphins. Using different safe range calculation models, a mitigation and monitoring plan was developed that minimized the risks of these underwater explosions for the dolphins. At our monitoring station, at 2 km from the demolition site, acoustic pressure levels in excess of 170 dB re 1 μPa (root-mean-square) were measured. Samples of dead fish collected at the site were indicative of shock trauma from the blasts.
authors.affiliation: Eco-Ethology Research Unit, ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, Lisboa P-1149-041, Portugal. manuel@ispa.pt
authors.forename: Manuel E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Miguel N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Couchinho
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rita Luís
authors.forename: Emanuel J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D050681:Bottle-Nosed Dolphin / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005107:Explosions; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011174:Portugal; D011312:Pressure; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012623:Seawater; D013997:Time Factors