Underwater Acoustic Disturbance and Marine Mammal Welfare

Noise pollution from shipping, sonar, and seismic surveys causes disorientation, injury, and death in whales and dolphins.

Key Facts

Military sonar has been linked to mass strandings of beaked whales in multiple countries
Ocean noise levels have doubled every decade since the 1960s due to increased shipping
Seismic air guns used in oil and gas surveys produce sounds audible for thousands of miles
Chronic noise exposure causes chronic stress in cetaceans and interferes with communication
The International Whaling Commission has passed resolutions calling for noise reduction standards

Welfare Considerations

Marine mammals rely on acoustic communication and echolocation for navigation, feeding, social bonding, and reproduction. Ocean noise pollution interferes with all of these functions simultaneously. Acute exposure to military sonar has caused internal hemorrhaging and disorientation leading to strandings and death. Chronic shipping noise causes ongoing stress and communication disruption across entire ocean basins. The diffuse, cumulative nature of ocean noise pollution makes it one of the most difficult wildlife welfare problems to address, but reduced speed limits for shipping and exclusion zones for the most sensitive activities in critical habitats represent meaningful first steps.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for quieter shipping technology and speed limits near whale habitats
Advocate for exclusion zones for seismic surveys in known cetacean habitats
Support organizations monitoring and documenting acoustic pollution impacts
Choose seafood from fisheries with lower ocean noise footprints where certification allows
Donate to stranding response organizations that assist acoustic trauma victims