Sounds in the Sea: Acoustics Sounds in the Sea: Acoustics and Marine Mammalsand Marine Mammals

Capital Hill Ocean Week - 2007Capital Hill Ocean Week - 2007Reserve Officers AssociationReserve Officers AssociationOne Constitution Avenue, NEOne Constitution Avenue, NE

Washington, DCWashington, DC

Brandon L. Southall, Ph.D. (moderator)Director, NOAA Ocean Acoustics Program

National Marine Fisheries Service

Office of Science and Technology

Anthropogenic Sound and Marine LifeAnthropogenic Sound and Marine Life

Similarly, marine animals produce sound and listen for environmental acoustic cues. Underwater sound is very important in life history

WHEN IS ANTHROPOGENIC SOUND A THREAT TO MARINE LIFE?

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO MITIGATE IMPACTS WHILE ALLOWINGACTIVITIES VITAL TO NATIONAL & ECONOMIC SECURITY?

Humans produce underwater sound either intentionally (sonar, seismic exploration, research, navigation) or incidentally (shipping, drilling, construction)

Anthropogenic Sound and Marine Life: Anthropogenic Sound and Marine Life: Focusing Events and Recent DevelopmentsFocusing Events and Recent Developments

Focusing EventsFocusing Events• ATOC, mass stranding events• Series of NRC reports, MM Commission FACA panel

Broadening of the IssueBroadening of the Issue• Shipping, pile-driving, offshore wind farms, other active sonars• Recognition that chronic sources may be as or potentially

more significant for populations of animals than acute ones

Recent DevelopmentsRecent Developments• Rapid advancement in data-loggers and passive acoustic technology• Marine mammal noise exposure criteria; fish and sea turtles• International symposium (May 07) on vessel-quieting technologies • Inter-agency Acoustics Task Force (14+ agencies; reports to JSOST)

Sounds in the Sea: Sounds in the Sea: Acoustics and Marine MammalsAcoustics and Marine Mammals

~ Panelists ~~ Panelists ~

• Dr. Brandon SouthallSouthall (NOAA Ocean Acoustics Program)

• Hon. William DelahuntDelahunt (U.S. House of Representatives; D-MA)

• Dr. Robert GisinerGisiner (Marine Mammal Commission)

• Mr. Jean-Michel CousteauCousteau (Ocean Futures Society)

• Ms. Kathy MetcalfMetcalf (Chamber of Shipping of America)

• Dr. John HildebrandHildebrand (Scripps Institute of Oceanography)

• Dr. Roger GentryGentry (Joint Industry Programme)

• Dr. David WileyWiley (Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary)

• Dr. Peter TyackTyack (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)