News

MMOA Chair Niru Dorrian recently attended the 2019 AEECoW annual conference in Lanarkshire Scotland. The AEECoW is the qualifying body for Environmental and Ecological Clerks of Works (ECoW). AEECoW has been developed to raise professional standards amongst those providing ECoW services whilst promoting ECoWs as valuable members of site development teams.

This year delegates met at the University of West Scotland's new Lanarkshire Campus for a day of talks and workshops, aimed at furthering the development of the ECoW role. Speakers included SNH, SEPA, Fairhurst, South Lanarkshire Council, Naturally Compliant, Land Use Consultants, Wills Bros Civil Engineering, CIEEM and Scottish Renewables. With representatives from all parts of the ECoW community - regulators, clients, contractors and practitioners - the conference represents an excellent opportunity to learn, contribute and network.   

The Environmental Clerk of Works role share many similarities to the MMO role and with more and more marine construction projects around the UK taking place there will be a ongoing requirement for these roles to work together in collaboration. 

MMOA Executive Committee Member Gary Robinson recently attended the annual EAGE conference in Copenhagen on behalf of the MMOA with a focus on a workshop dedicated to ‘The effects of seismic surveys on the marine environment’. 

This workshop aimed to stimulate discussion with experts on the effect of anthropogenic sound on marine life, environmental legislation, industry best practices, underwater sound propagation, latest technological advances and on-going research programmes. A key interest from the MMOA in this workshop was highlighting the importance of utilizing qualified and relevantly experienced MMOs to key industry stakeholders to provide continued support to the rapidly advancing technological drive. 

Gary was active in discussions on the efficacy of current monitoring and mitigation technologies, mitigation planning and the importance of harmonizing technologies with MMOs in the field and the importance of engaging with experienced MMOs to inform and implement mitigation procedures.

The take-home message from this workshop was that whilst there still remains some uncertainty with the nature and severity of underwater noise impacts on marine mammals, it is important to continue developing technology in harmony with current research as well as seismic field experience, and not lose sight of the importance of having experience MMOs in the field and engage with industry stakeholders and researchers

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EDGEWISE Environmental has been established as Canada’s first environmental consultancy focused on marine mammal observation, seabird observation and acoustic monitoring training. There exists a gap within the market of mitigation training and accreditation within Canada. With the largest coastline in the world, Edgewise believes Canada should be at the forefront of environmental protection and survey monitoring, especially as it relates to oil and gas activities.

CEO, Ashley Noseworthy recognized a gap in offshore mitigation training when she began working offshore as an MMSO. Trained in the UK, she saw the differences in Canada’s guidelines compared to those of other offshore jurisdictions. The interpretation was required and it was evident to her that a program was needed in Canada.

Mitigation measures to reduce potential effects on marine mammals are required for seismic survey operations occurring in Canadian waters. These guidelines require, that during seismic operations a “qualified” MMO must be present onboard, however, the term “qualified” is not defined. Due to a lack of standardization any current working MMO’s within Canadian jurisdiction are currently either trained abroad, under foreign regulatory guidelines or in-house, by the hiring company and then required to interpret the Canadian guidelines, sometimes, while on the job, without previous familiarity.

Frustrated by this lack of accessible, third-party, Canadian-specific training Ashley has sought to develop the first standardized MMO training and qualification program in Canada. The same lack of standardization exists in relation to Seabird Observers and PAM Operators.  

Ashley Noseworthy - Ashley is formally educated, with a BSc (Marine Biology) from Memorial University of Newfoundland and an MSc (International Marine Environmental Consultancy) from Newcastle University, completing her Master's thesis in the area of marine mammal acoustics. She has worked offshore in a variety of capacities. Globally, as an MMSO for a number of seismic operators. She spent over a decade working with captive marine mammals in the areas of marine mammal husbandry, cognition and physiology. Ashley is also a qualified sea survival and aviation ditching instructor, instructing a variety of curricula to a global audience, having taught in both Canada and Norway.

She was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for the Newfoundland Environmental Industry Association and is an active member of the Marine Mammal Observer Association.