Marine Mammal Welfare and Underwater Noise

Underwater noise from shipping, sonar, seismic surveys, and construction affects marine mammals that depend on acoustic communication and echolocation.

Key Facts

Ocean noise levels have doubled every decade over the past 60 years in major shipping lanes
Military sonar at 230dB has been linked to beaked whale mass strandings
Seismic survey airguns produce the loudest artificial sounds in the ocean
Right whale communication calls are being masked by shipping noise in critical habitat
Shipping speed reduction reduces both noise and collision risk for large whales

Welfare Considerations

Marine mammals that rely on acoustic communication - cetaceans, seals, and sea lions - experience significant welfare impacts from anthropogenic noise. Beaked whales that strand following naval sonar exercises show tissue damage consistent with decompression sickness induced by rapid surfacing to escape acoustic trauma. Chronic shipping noise masks whale communication over hundreds of kilometres, disrupting mother-calf bonds and mating behaviour. Construction noise from offshore wind development can cause temporary threshold shifts in hearing in nearby seals. Routing shipping lanes away from critical habitat and requiring quieter vessel designs are key mitigations.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for shipping speed reduction in critical whale habitat
Advocate for acoustic impact assessments for all offshore construction projects
Support quiet shipping initiatives that reduce underwater noise from vessel design
Engage with military authorities to require marine mammal observers during sonar exercises
Back international frameworks for underwater noise pollution standards