Commercial shipping generates chronic underwater noise that disrupts whale communication, fish behaviour, and invertebrate physiology, representing a pervasive but underregulated welfare threat.
Ocean noise pollution from shipping represents a chronic, globally distributed welfare stressor for marine animals. Unlike acute noise events such as seismic surveys or military sonar, shipping noise is persistent and cumulative, affecting vast ocean areas continuously. Whales must communicate across the masking noise to maintain social bonds, find mates, and coordinate feeding — chronic noise masks these signals, effectively degrading their social lives. Fish in high-traffic areas show chronic stress responses that compromise immune function and reproductive success. The solutions are technically available but require regulatory will to implement as mandatory rather than voluntary standards.