Sources of Marine Noise Pollution

Boats, Ferries, & Ships

“It’s remarkable. I’ve noticed there are no more fast ferries, which we normally when doing research have to avoid as they come passing by at 45 knots an hour […] There’s no underwater engine or boat noise. Then suddenly there’s dolphins and porpoises all around us in areas we would rarely see them before,” according to marine biologist Lindsay Porter.

Fishing: Bottom Trawling & Dynamite Fishing

Military & Fossil Fuels: Seismic Blasting

Solutions to Reduce Noise Pollution

The following topics are sorted alphabetically.

Monitoring & Mapping

Transportation

Transportation produces a growing amount of noise pollution. Shipping lanes, air ports, train junctions, private vehicles, and highways all contribute to the growing din. This section explores some ways to solve the problem.

Organisms Affected by Noise Pollution

Plankton

"Zooplankton underpin the health and productivity of global marine ecosystems. Here we present evidence that suggests seismic surveys cause significant mortality to zooplankton populations. Seismic surveys are used extensively to explore for petroleum resources using intense, low-frequency, acoustic impulse signals. Experimental air gun signal exposure decreased zooplankton abundance when compared with controls, as measured by sonar (~3–4 dB drop within 15–30 min) and net tows (median 64% decrease within 1 h), and caused a two- to threefold increase in dead adult and larval zooplankton. Impacts were observed out to the maximum 1.2 km range sampled, which was more than two orders of magnitude greater than the previously assumed impact range of 10 m. Although no adult krill were present, all larval krill were killed after air gun passage. There is a significant and unacknowledged potential for ocean ecosystem function and productivity to be negatively impacted by present seismic technology.

Phytoplankton and their grazers—zooplankton—underpin ocean productivity1,2, therefore significant impacts on plankton by anthropogenic sources have enormous implications for ocean ecosystem structure and health. In addition, a significant component of zooplankton communities comprises the larval stages of many commercial fisheries species. Healthy populations of fish, top predators and marine mammals are not possible without viable planktonic productivity1,2,3." - Widely Used Marine Seismic Survey Air Gun Operations Negatively Impact Zooplankton

Whales

Shellfish

Scallops

"Following a field-based air gun exposure regime, exposed scallops were found to have significantly increased mortality rates; disrupted behavioral patterns and reflex responses, both during and following exposure; and altered hemolymph biochemistry, physiology, and osmoregulation capacity. These results indicate that air gun exposure has a harmful impact on scallops and raises concern over the impact on bivalves, due to their global ecological and economic importance." - Research Gate

Petitions

Asia

China

• Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society: Saving Pink Dolphins - Online Petition

Maps

International

Africa

Oceana

Australia

• Maps of Mining & Seismic Testing In Australia's Marine Reserves & Whale Habitats