Welfare of Animals in Ocean Noise Pollution

Ocean noise from shipping, sonar, seismic surveys, and construction affects the welfare of cetaceans, fish, and other marine animals that rely on sound for navigation and communication.

Key Facts

The noise level of major shipping lanes has doubled every decade since the 1950s
Military sonar has been linked to mass strandings of beaked whales with hemorrhagic injuries
Seismic airgun surveys for oil exploration can be heard thousands of kilometers from source
Fish larvae use sound to locate reefs — noise pollution disrupts reef settlement patterns
Blue whale communication frequency has shifted measurably as a response to ocean noise increase

Welfare Considerations

Ocean noise welfare harms range from acute (sonar-induced hemorrhage and stranding in beaked whales) to chronic (communication interference, navigation disruption, and stress from continuous elevated noise). Shipping noise in particular creates permanent elevated stress for cetaceans in high-traffic areas. Ship speed reduction and hull design improvements can reduce shipping noise by 50-75%. Sonar exercises in critical cetacean habitat cause severe acute harm that better scheduling could prevent.

What You Can Do

Support International Maritime Organization shipping speed reduction and noise standards
Advocate for seismic survey restrictions in critical cetacean habitat areas
Donate to NOAA Ocean Acoustics Program and Oceana campaigns for ocean noise reduction
Engage with shipping companies about their noise reduction and cetacean impact commitments