In the shift toward sustainable energy production, offshore wind power has experienced notable expansion. Several projects to install floating offshore wind farms in European waters, ranging from a few to hundreds of turbines, are currently in the planning stage. The underwater operational sound generated by these floating turbines has the potential to affect marine ecosystems, although the extent of this impact remains underexplored. This study models the sound radiated by three planned floating wind farms in the Strait of Sicily (Italy), an area of significant interest for such developments. These wind farms vary in size (from 250 MW to 2800 MW) and environmental characteristics, including bathymetry and seabed substrates. Propagation losses were modeled in one-third-octave bands using JASCO Applied Sciences’ Marine Operations Noise Model, which is based on the parabolic equation method, combined with the BELLHOP beam-tracing model. Two sound speed profiles, corresponding to winter and summer, were applied to simulate seasonal variations in sound propagation. Additionally, sound from an offshore supply ship was incorporated with one of these wind farms to simulate maintenance operations. Results indicate that sound from operating wind farms could reach a broadband sound pressure level (L_p) of 100 dB re 1 µPa as far as 67 km from the wind farm. Nevertheless, this sound level is generally lower than the ambient sound in areas with intense shipping traffic. The findings are discussed in relation to local background sound levels and current guidelines and regulations. The implications for environmental management include the need for comprehensive monitoring and mitigation strategies to protect marine ecosystems from potential acoustic disturbances.

Introduction: Humpback whales belonging to the Central American (CA) Distinct Population Segment breed off the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. Knowledge on this endangered population and its conservation status is limited. Objective: The aim of this study is to provide the first description of the CA humpback whale song off Nicaragua, which helps further understanding on the population’s dynamics. Methods: Acoustic recordings of songs were obtained during dedicated boat-based surveys at two locations on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua in 2018. Recordings were made from the boat using a portable system for a total of 23 hours and 56 minutes over 32 days from January to April 2018. A total of nine recordings of high enough quality for the song analysis were identified during this period from three different days at Padre Ramos (PR) (northern site) and four different days at San Juan del Sur (southern site). Song structure was described using standard humpback whale song elements, i.e. themes, phrases, and units. Results: A total of seven themes, seven phrases, and 19 unit types were identified. Three of the themes were common and frequently repeated in a song cycle while the others were less common in the repertoire and were recorded only during the middle of the season. Song theme order was variable, both within and across song sessions. Conclusions: This study provides the first song description of humpback whales along the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. Comparison of these songs with other datasets from the CA population and other breeding areas in the Northern Hemisphere could help understand the migratory patterns of these animals and the level of connectivity among populations since song can be socially learnt. Future data collection of humpback whale song recordings in Nicaragua is necessary to gain further understanding on the song structure variation within this population and the mechanisms of song transmission and dynamics across populations in the region. Introducción: La ballena jorobada del segmento poblacional Centroamericano se reproduce en la costa Pacífica de Nicaragua. El conocimiento sobre la biología y estado de conservación de esta población amenazada y su estado de conservación es limitado. Objetivo: El objetivo de este estudio es generar la primera descripción del canto de las ballenas jorobadas de la población de Centroamérica observadas en aguas nicaragüenses. Métodos: Se obtuvieron grabaciones acústicas durante salidas de investigación en dos localidades de la costa Pacífica de Nicaragua en el 2018. Las grabaciones se realizaron desde el bote utilizando un sistema portátil durante un total de 23 horas y 56 minutos en 32 días de enero hasta abril del 2018. Un total de nueve grabaciones de suficiente calidad para el análisis de los cantos fueron identificados durante este periodo en tres días en Padre Ramos (Norte) y cuatro días en San Juan del Sur (Sur). La estructura del canto se describió de acuerdo con los elementos estándares de canciones de ballenas jorobadas: temas, frases y unidades. Resultados: Se identificaron siete temas, siete frases y 19 unidades. Tres temas eran comunes y se repetían varias veces dentro de una canción mientras que otras eran menos comunes en el repertorio de canto y se grabaron solo en la mitad de la temporada. El orden de los temas en la canción fue variable a dentro de la canción y entre las sesiones de canto. Conclusiones: Este estudio representa la primera descripción del canto de las ballenas jorobadas en el Pacifico nicaragüense. La comparación de estos cantos con los de otras localidades de la población de Centroamérica y con otras áreas de reproducción de poblaciones en el hemisferio norte contribuirá a comprender mejor los patrones migratorios de estos animales y el nivel de conectividad entre poblaciones desde que la canción fue aprendida. La recolección futura de datos de cantos de ballenas jorobadas en Nicaragua es necesaria para mejorar la comprensión de la variación en la estructura del canto de esta población y el mecanismo de transmisión y dinámica de canto entre poblaciones de la región.

The harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) is a sentinel top predator in the North Sea, inhabiting regions with high shipping activity. The rapid expansion of offshore wind farms (OWFs) is expected to further increase vessel traffic and underwater noise levels. The population-relevant behavioral consequences for harbor seals remain difficult to infer from tagging or visual surveys alone due to limited sample sizes, uneven coverage, and strong interindividual variability. This chapter presents a methodological framework that couples a large-scale, time-varying vessel noise soundscape with a telemetry-informed agent-based model (ABM) to explore potential future scenarios and mitigation efforts. Behavioral parameters were derived from 13 seals equipped with sound and movement sensing biologgers (DTAGs). Simulated animals were programmed with empirically derived parameters within four defined behavioral states, while the behavioral response functions are integrated as state-probability modifiers. Four scenarios are defined: a 2018 baseline, OWF-2030 and OWF-2050 traffic projections, and a speed-reduction policy within marine protected areas. The chapter provides a reproducible blueprint for constructing, parameterizing, and coupling soundscape and ABM components, enabling transparent what-if analyses beyond the reach of observational studies.