BayQuest SeaSounds Project is a passive acoustic monitoring program to study the impacts of vessel interactions on the vocalization and behaviors of local whale populations. It involves deploying a sensitive vessel-based hydrophone system beneath the surface while documenting concurrent visual observations while conducting field wildlife surveys and water sampling.
The collaboration includes Aquarium of the Bay, the popular aquarium facility based at San Francisco’s Pier 39, which provides the research vessel, R/V Mike Reigle and includes members of its Animal Care Team on field missions.
The SeaSounds Project utilizes an advanced hydrophone system called Spotter Sound in collaboration with blue tech partners Sofar Ocean, Applied Ocean Sciences and BlueOASIS.
BayQuest has been selected to Beta Test and help fine-tune this emerging blue technology.
The team of advisors who have helped guide the development of this project include prominent marine science and acoustics professionals from Cornell University, CalMaritime Academy/Oceanography, MBARI, University of Washington, Ocean Conservation Research, Cascadia Research, Point Blue Conservation Science, HappyWhale, Orcasound and others.
Why it’s important!
Vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear remain the leading cause of mortality and injuries to whales. It is estimated that up to 80 whales die each year off the west coast due to vessel strikes but experts say the number could be much higher since collisions often go unnoticed and whale carcasses tend to sink to the bottom. In 2024, NOAA reported 23 confirmed whale entanglements off the California coast, out of a total of 36 confirmed entanglements along the entire West Coast.
The BayQuest team effort joins a host of other organizations advancing initiatives designed to help minimize these risks including voluntary seasonal slow down measures in areas of high whale concentrations, sea floor-mounted acoustic monitoring stations and new innovations in lineless fishing gear.
Full project proposal upon request. All donations to support this important research study are welcomed and very much appreciated!
BayQuest offers unique, hands-on marine science and wildlife ecology tours of San Francisco Bay for young people. In collaboration with our partner organizations and conducted aboard some of the bay’s most historic sailing vessels, our program includes line handling, plankton collection/examination, wildlife species orientation and spotting, water sampling and hydroacoustics including underwater hydrophones.
We welcome inquiries and opportunities to further advance conservation efforts on the bay!
BayQuest Rising Tides is a neighborhood-driven outreach shoreline/at-sea education program designed to engage young people from disadvantaged communities around the bay area through education, public nature events and onboard eco-tours.
Its goal is to elevate awareness and foster participation in efforts to prepare for sea rise resiliency, watershed protection and equitable coastal access while facilitating on-the-water conservation efforts to protect whales and other endangered marine wildlife on San Francisco Bay.
This fun, hands-on learning experience provides a gateway for meaningful involvement in wildlife and shoreline conservation while helping to spark the imagination of young people from local communities historically harmed by systemic bias in the sciences.
