7 December 2011 - Ocean noise and commotion levels have become unbearable for some sea mammals, with the constant underwater military testing, gas exploration, freighter propellers and percussive thump of oil. If you get to see the vast blue waters from above, you’ll think that it’s all peaceful and serene but contrary to it the underwater sound intensify an average of 20 decibels for over the past 50 years that results to a ravaging consequences for the sea life.
The International Director of Science at the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society or WDCS, Mark Simmonds said “Sounds are what cetaceans communicate with. This is how they perceive their environment. For them, hearing is as important as vision for us. If there is too much noise, they probably can’t communicate that well.” He told the AFP last month on the sidelines of an international conference on migratory species held in Bergen, on the Southwestern coast of Norway.
The damaging effect of this sea noise pollution is that it affects the ability of cetaceans. In good condition they can communicate over a distance of a dozen of kilometres, to find food, reproduce and orient themselves well. Even a small boat that is travelling at slow speeds through very shallow waters is enough to hinder the reach of sounds from a bottlenose dolphin at about 26 percent and for pilot whales at about 58 percent.
“You might cope with it for a while but you can’t live there. Imagine a situation where you can’t communicate with your family, where you have to scream constantly.” This is according to Nicolas Entrup, from Ocean Care and the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Building of some environmentally friendly projects such as the vast offshore wind farms that is made up of large turbines can also add up to the danger. The technique of penetrating the seabed with the use of hydraulic hammer to plant a monopod that anchors the modern-day windmills to the ocean floor is one of the factors that endanger the home of these sea mammals.
Sonar trouble is considered the number one factor that bothers the sea life by its rising noise levels, especially for those who inhabit the Antarctic, where the polar ice cap melts, humans are creating a an even bigger sound print as they look for new shipping routes to look for oil and gas.
Europe has proven itself to be a pioneer in this area. The European Commission’s financing of Ship-Oriented Innovative Solutions to Reduce Noise and Vibrations also known as SILENV has made its contribution to lessen this problem.
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