Chloe Malinka

Degrees and Education

• 2021 Aarhus University, Denmark, PhD Biology. Thesis: “Biosonar on narrow-band high-frequency toothed whales: Sampling a dynamic, multi-target world”

• 2014 University of St Andrews, Scotland, MRes Marine Mammal Science (with distinction)

• 2013 Dalhousie University, Canada BSc (Hons, Co-op) Marine Biology and Oceanography

Skills and Expertise

• Passive Acoustic Monitoring

• Echolocation

• Sensory ecology

• Biologging

(See Google scholar & ORCiD)

Malinka CE, Tabbutt S, Matei M, Clarkson J, & JD Wood (2026). Near Real-Time Passive Acoustic Mitigation Monitoring: Three Case Studies. A. N. Popper et al. (eds.), The Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life IV, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-94229-7_92-1

Hatch L, McKenna M, Burnham R, Frasier KE, Gabriele C, Hastings S, Haver S, Kunz A, MacGillivray A, Malinka C, Morten J, Peavey Reeves L, Trounce K, Vagle S, Wood J, Zobell V (2025). “Progress towards comparable measurements of underwater radiated noise related to vessel speed reduction programs” JASA-EL 5(8). https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0038636

Hermannsen L, Ladegaard M, Tønnesen P, Malinka C, Beedholm K, Tougaard J, Rojano-Doñate L, Tyack PL, Madsen PT (2025) “High-frequency vessel noise can mask porpoise echolocation” J Exp Biol 228(6), jeb249963. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.249963

Jacobs ER, Gero S, Malinka CE, Tønnesen PH, Beedholm K, DeRuiter SL & PT Madsen (2024) “The active space of sperm whale codas: inter-click information for intra-unit communication” J Exp Biol 227(4), jeb246442. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.246442

Marques CS, Marques DA, Blackwell SB, Heide-Jorgensen MP, Malinka CE, & TA Marques (2024) “Narwhal (Monodon monoceros) echolocation click rates to support cue counting passive acoustic density estimation,” J Acoust Soc Am 155, 891–900. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0024723

Malinka CE, Tollit DJ, Trounce K, & JD Wood. (2023). Evaluating the Benefits of Noise Reduction Mitigation: The ECHO Program. In: Popper, A.N., Sisneros, J., Hawkins, A., Thomsen, F. (eds) The Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life. Springer, Cham. pp. 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10417-6_100-1

Malinka CE, Quinn M, Matei M, Tabbutt S, Charish R, & JD Wood (2023) “Quiet Sound Trial Slowdown 2022” SMRU Consulting report to Quiet Sound.

Grooms C, Malinka CE, Warner GA, Wood JD, Houweling AE, Wladichuk JL, MacGillivray AO, Tollit DJ, & TM Yack. (2022) ECHO Program 2021 Voluntary Vessel Slowdown Hydracoustic Studies

Malinka CE, Rojano-Doñate L, & PT Madsen (2021). “Directional biosonar beams allow echolocating harbour porpoises to actively discriminate and intercept closely-spaced targets” J Exp Biol: 224(16), jeb242779. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.242779

Malinka CE, Tønnesen P, Dunn CA, Claridge DE, Gridley T, Elwen SH, & PT Madsen (2021) “Echolocation click parameters and biosonar behaviour of the dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima)” J Exp Biol 224(6), jeb240689. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.240689

Pedersen MB, Tønnesen P, Malinka CE, Ladegaard M, Johnson M, Aguilar de Soto N, & PT Madsen (2021) “Echolocation click parameters of short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) in the wild” J Acoust Soc Am 149, 1923-1931. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0003762

Beedholm K, Malinka CE, Ladegaard M, & PT Madsen (2021) “Do echolocating toothed whales direct their acoustic gaze on or off target in a static detection task?” J Acoust Soc Am 149, 581-590. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0003357

Macaulay J, Malinka CE, Gillespie D, & PT Madsen (2020) “High resolution 3D beam radiation pattern of harbour porpoise clicks with implications for passive acoustic monitoring.” J Acoust Soc Am 147: 4175-4188. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0001376

Malinka CE, Atkins J, Johnson M, Tønnesen P, Dunn C, Claridge D, Aguilar de Soto N, & PT Madsen (2020) “An autonomous hydrophone array to study the acoustic ecology of deep-water toothed whales” Deep Sea Research I 158:103233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2020.103233

Malinka CE, Gillespie D, Macaulay J, Joy R, & CS Sparling (2018) “First in-situ passive acoustic monitoring for marine mammals during operation of a tidal turbine in Ramsey Sound, Wales.” Mar Ecol Prog Ser 590: 247-266. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12467

Macaulay J, Gordon JCD, Gillespie DM, Malinka CE, & S Northridge (2017) “Passive acoustic methods for fine-scale tracking of harbour porpoises in tidal rapids.” J Acoust Soc Am 141(2): 1120-1132. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.4976077

Gillespie DM, Malinka CE, Hastie G, & CE Sparling (March 2016) “Scottish Government Demonstration Strategy: Results of an acoustic assessment on the EK60 echosounder.” Report to the Scottish Gov, 9 pp.

Sparling CE, Gillespie DM, Hastie G, Gordon JCD, Macaulay J, Malinka CE, Wu M, & BJ McConnell (Feb 2016) “Scottish Government Demonstration Strategy: Trialling methods for tracking the fine scale underwater movements of marine mammals in areas of marine renewable energy development.” Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews. Report to the Scottish Government, St Andrews, 108 pp.

Gillespie DM, Sparling CE, Macaulay J, & CE Malinka (Jan 2016) “Performance of the passive acoustic monitoring system during commissioning of the DeltaStream tidal energy turbine in Ramsey Sound, Wales.” Report by SMRU Consulting for Tidal Energy Ltd.

Macaulay J, Gordon JCD, Gillespie D, Malinka CE, Johnson M, & S Northridge (Nov 2015) “Tracking harbour porpoises in tidal rapids: a low cost autonomous platform to track movements,” NERC KE Report.

Macaulay J, Malinka CE, Coram A, Gordon JCD, & S Northridge (Jul 2015) “The density and behaviour of marine mammals in tidal rapids.” SMRU, University of St Andrews. Report to Scottish Government, no. MR 7.1.2.

Malinka CE, Hay AE, & RA Cheel (Sept 2015) “Towards passive acoustic monitoring at a proposed tidal turbine site: Grand Passage, NS,” EWTEC (European Wave & Tidal Energy Conference) Proceedings, Nantes, France.

Key Projects

Since joining SMRU Consulting in September 2021, Chloe has been involved in projects including:

• Evaluating the noise effects of vessel slowdowns under both the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s ECHO program (Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observations), as well as Washington Maritime Blue’s Quiet Sound program.

• Managing and analysing the long-term ambient noise monitoring station at Lime Kiln, San Juan Island, as well as in Burrard Inlet

• Advising offshore wind developers on real-time marine mammal mitigation monitoring technologies

• Facilitating a start-up ocean technology company with setting up passive acoustic monitoring kit on their USVs

• Overseeing, managing, and contributing to tag analysis for the LMR-funded ACCURATE project (Acoustic Cue RATEs for passive acoustic density estimation), with partners from SMRU, CREEM, NOAA, Scripps and NTNU

• Contributing to a scoping evaluation for a meta-analysis of PAM data collected in the past 20 years in the North Sea

• Leading the real-time passive acoustic mitigation monitoring project, using our Communication Acoustic Buoys, alongside the dredge campaign for the expansion of the Port of Ardersier, Scotland

• Co-leading the COSIMMAS project (alongside Southall Environmental Associates), a Sound & Marine Life JIP funded project on evaluating the effects of non-impulsive sounds on marine mammals, and the mitigation of these sounds at the source

Phone:+44 (0)1334 466011

Email:cm@smruconsulting.com

Socials: LinkedIn

Mail: Scottish Oceans Institute

East Sands

University of St Andrews

KY16 8LB

Scotland