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Marine Noise

MANY MARINE ANIMALS USE SOUND TO COMMUNICATE AND NAVIGATE, SO MAN-MADE NOISE CAN DISRUPT THEIR BEHAVIOR.   HEAR WHAT’S CAUSING THE UNDERWATER DIN ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

SONAR ISN’T THE ONLY PROBLEM.  BRANDON SOUTHALL OF NOAA’S OCEAN ACOUSTICS PROGRAM SAYS EVERYDAY VESSEL NOISE ALSO AFFECTS MARINE ANIMALS.

SOUTHALL: MOST OF THE MEDIA ATTENTION HAS FOCUSED ON MILITARY SOUNDS OR OIL AND GAS SOUNDS, WHICH ARE A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE ISSUE.  HOWEVER THERE ARE OTHER PIECES OF IT, LIKE SHIPPING.

THIS MEANS THAT WHILE WE MAY NOT THINK ABOUT IT, EACH OF US PLAYS A ROLE IN GENERATING MARINE NOISE.

SOUTHALL: WE ALL BUY SHOES.  THOSE SHOES COME FROM CHINA – THEY SHIP THEM ON BOATS.  WE ALL DRIVE CARS.  THOSE CARS HAVE GAS IN THEM – MUCH OF IT COMES FROM OFF-SHORE. 

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?  THE FIRST THING IS TO BECOME INFORMED. VISIT THE DISCOVERY OF SOUND IN THE SEA WEB SITE – D-O-S-I-T-S DOT ORG – TO LEARN MORE.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

To learn more, visit the NOAA Ocean Acoustics Program.