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Technical Support

Technical support

For the development of applications for referrals, permits and resource consents including specialist technical advice and expert evidence

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Our team has a proven track record of successfully delivering towards our clients’ environmental objectives. Whether it’s developing Environmental Impact Assessments, Referrals applications, or desk-based research, advice and reporting, we have the capacity, the knowledge and the expertise to assist you.

Human activity can impact on the marine environment, yet this can be reduced with the help of careful planning and environmental management.

Our team can provide you with technical advice and expert evidence including for resource consent processes as Expert, Independent Witnesses and independent review of applications for Regulators. We have extensive experience in providing evidence for a wide range of planning and legal processes in Australia and New Zealand and in supporting clients to successfully achieve approvals for their activities.

From businesses seeking technical advice and expert evidence to Governments requiring management plans, research capabilities, practical scientific input and policy advice; our separate divisions of research and consulting can provide the perfect balance in establishing effective, long-term environmental management.

Recent Projects

  • Provide expert advice on monitoring and research programs for Māui dolphin, associated with offshore activities.
    Golder NZ.
  • Expert statement and evidence before the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) regarding sand mining off Taranaki.
    Trans-Tasman Resources.
  • Development of the National Conservation Management Plan for blue whales in Australian waters.
    Department of the Environment (DOE), Australia.
  • PAM Operator services and systems for numerous 3D, VSP, and check-shot seismic surveys in NZ and Australia.
    OMV, PGS, Woodside Energy, RPS, STOS, Chevron, TGS-Nopec, Schlumberger, NZOG, Anadarko, PTTEPAA, Hess, Jan De Nul, BMA, MED.
  • Provision of MFO training and environmental compliance monitoring for the Gorgon LNG Project.
    Chevron Australia.
  • Vessel, crew and logistical support for a survey of uninhabited islands of the Torres Strait: turtles, reptiles, seabirds and vegetation.
    Torres Strait Regional Authority.
  • Independent review the draft Great Keppel Island Resort Pre-construction Surveying Program.
    FRC Environmental.
  • Controlled exposure experiments to determine the impacts of seismic surveys and the effectiveness of soft-starts on cetaceans (Funded by: E&P Sound and Marine Life Joint Industry Programme; United States Bureau of Ocean Energy Management; International Association of Oil & Gas Producers; International Association of Geophysical Contractors).
    BPM was a collaborator on this project, entitled BRAHSS.
  • Desktop technical review of marine megafauna detection systems.
    Chevron.
  • Abundance estimation of breeding stock ‘D’ of humpback whales (Western Australia): a pilot study to design optimal survey methods and determine location.
    Australian Antarctic Division.
  • Vessel-based surveys for the assessment of the current status of cetaceans and feasibility of a whale watching industry in Samoa.
    DEH.
  • Provision of dedicated MMOs and MMO training for contractors for VSP operations on the Northern Australia
    PTTEPAA.
  • A review of the whale, dolphin and seal watching industry in Jervis Bay Marine Park including a review of the current permit system and potential impacts of this commercial industry.
    NSW Marine Park Authority.
  • Satellite tagging of humpback and southern right whales in Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica.
    Australian Antarctic Division.
  • MFO Training services and provision for dredging operations on the Amrun (South of Embley) Project.
    Jan De Nul.
  • Review of the NZ Guidelines for Minimising Acoustic Disturbance to Marine Mammals from Seismic Survey Operations and Reference Document with respect to new research findings, international best practice and recent legislation changes within NZ. Analysis and reporting of submissions on the review.
    Department of Conservation.
  • Monitoring of aquatic ambient noise and the associated pressure impacts on marine megafauna in Port Curtis and Port Alma, East Australia.
    Gladstone Port Corporation.
  • Review of multibeam echo sounder surveys and potential impacts on marine mammals.
    Marlborough District Council.
  • Report to identify and assess the current mitigation techniques for marine mammal and seabird capture employed in set net fisheries domestically and internationally, and recommendations as to their applicability to the New Zealand situation.
    DOC.
  • Technical assessment: Trans-shipping and mother-shipping operations in small pelagic fisheries in Australian waters.
    Department of the Environment, Australia.
  • Assessment of the environmental impacts of a proposed pearl oyster operation on whales, dolphins and turtles, Port Stephens, NSW. Environmental impact assessment report including appearing in the NSW Land and Environment Court as an expert witness in relation to this case.
    NSW Department of Environment and Conservation.
  • Provision of vessels and trained dive crews for control and monitoring of crown of thorns starfish on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.
    Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
  • Development of a real-time cetacean positioning and tracking system, which allows the incorporation of both visual and acoustic data for seismic surveys.
    Collaborative project with the University of Newcastle.
  • Provision of a risk assessment and development of a rescue plan for marine mammals potentially caught inside a bund closure at Fisherman’s Landing, Brisbane.
    Gladstone Port Corporation.
  • Analysis and reporting of all observer data collected during seismic surveys in New Zealand waters under the New Zealand Code of Conduct.
    DOC.
  • Technical review of the Pluto Turtle Monitoring Plan and lighting audit to assess impacts on turtles, Pluto LNG Project.
    Woodside Energy.
  • Bespoke MMO training services.
    Geoscience Australia.
  • MMO Training services and provision for pile driving operations on the America’s Cup Infrastructure Project.
    Wynyard Edge Alliance
  • Provision of vessel and crew for deploying underwater baited video cameras to investigate effects of ocean warming on coral trout.
    James Cook University.
  • Undertaking humpback whale satellite tagging activities to determine migratory destination and movement patterns.
    Australian Antarctic Division.
  • Expert advice on the proposal to leave the remains of the MV Rena on Astrolabe Reef – potential impacts on marine mammals.
    Department of Conservation (DOC), NZ.
  • Provision of VSP MMO crew training for the Exmouth Plateau-Gorgon drilling programme.
    Chevron Australia.
  • Estimate of the risk of vessel strike to marine mammals in Australian waters.
    Australian Government.
  • Pilot studies to test aerial survey methods and land-based survey locations for population surveys of breeding stock ‘D’ of humpback whales (Western Australia).
    Australian Marine Mammal Centre.
  • Vessel Charter Services to support land and sea management activities in and around Torres Strait.
    Torres Strait Regional Authority.
  • Development of the National Recovery Plan for marine turtles in Australian waters.
    Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPAC), Australia.
  • Consultancy advice on the report: Peters & Stockin 2016 Responses of bottlenose dolphins to vessel activity in Northland.
    Department of Conservation.
  • Ground-based estimates of New Zealand sea lion pup production and mark recapture studies of pups at the sub-Antarctic Auckland Islands.
    Department of Conservation (DOC), New Zealand (NZ).
  • Effects of mussel farm extension on dolphins in the Marlborough Sounds – expert evidence and advice on effects and management options.
    Admiralty Bay Consortium, NZ.
  • Development of a Marine Mammal Impact Assessment for a 3D MSS in the Taranaki Basin.
    Todd Energy.
  • Expert statement and evidence before the EPA regarding the potential effects on marine mammals of Chatham Rock Phosphate’s proposed marine consent to mine phosphorite nodules on the Chatham Rise.
    DOC
  • Aerial surveys off South Australia to assess the diversity and distribution of cetaceans, with a focus on great whales (e.g. baleen whales plus sperm whale), and in particular blue whales.
    IFAW.
  • Provision of a plan to mitigate the potential for collision with bottlenose dolphins – NZOPA Powerboat Race.
    Far North District Council.
  • Humpback whale satellite tagging, photo-ID and genetic sampling at the Kermadec Islands.
    University of Auckland.
  • Development of a draft coordinated research strategy to collect information required to assess the national conservation status of Australian tropical inshore dolphins.
    SEWPAC.
  • Vessel-based survey within the Great Barrier Reef to validate modelling data on the identification of breeding grounds in the Great Barrier Reef.
    Australian Antarctic Division.
  • Collaboration with the Australian Antarctic Division in undertaking acoustic and visual surveys for Blue Whales in the Bonny Upwelling.
    Australian Antarctic Division.
  • Vessel charter and crew services for deployment of wave gliders off Darwin, Australia.
    Liquid Robotics.
  • Technical Review of the Ichthys Onshore LNG Facilities Underwater Noise Management Plan.
    INPEX.
  • MMO Training services and provision for pile driving operations on the Calliope Wharf Upgrade Project at Devonport Naval base.
    Downer
  • Supply of vessel and crew for the blue whale research project in the Great Australian Bight.
    Australian Marine Mammal Centre.
  • MMO Training services and provision for pile driving operations on the Cruise Berth Project at Port Lyttelton.
    LPC
  • Validation of Sound Transmission Loss Modelling (STLM) and acoustic monitoring for a marine seismic survey near the Maui field in Taranaki, New Zealand.
    Shell Taranaki Ltd.
  • Development of an aerial survey design for estimating the abundance of Hector’s dolphins (joint venture between colleagues at Cawthron Institute, Marine Wildlife Research, and Proteus Wildlife Research Consultants).
    Ministry of Primary Industries.
  • Review of multi-beam echo-sounder surveys and potential impacts on marine mammals.
    Marlborough District Council, NZ.
  • Bespoke MMO and training services for Marine & Civil pile driving activities.
    Marine and Civil.
  • MMO and PAM Operator services and systems for numerous 3D, VSP, and check-shot seismic surveys in NZ and Australia.
    OMV, PGS, Woodside Energy, RPS, STOS, Chevron, TGS-Nopec, Schlumberger, NZOG, Anadarko, PTTEPAA, Hess, Jan De Nul, BMA, MED.
  • Multidisciplinary research programme on the humpback whale breeding grounds of the Great Barrier Reef – photo-ID, genetic analysis and bioacoustics.
    Joint project with University of Queensland and Oregon State University.

Quality, Safety And Environment

All of BPM’s work is subject to our QSE system, which is modelled on ISO 9001, AS/NZS 4801 and ISO 14001.

OMV in New Zealand have been working with Blue Planet Marine (BPM) in the role of Cetacean Monitoring, during their many seismic surveys in the region for the last 8 years. During that time, BPM proven to be a service provider of the highest order, for their particular field of...
Matiu Park and Michael Lord
OMV New Zealand

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