Photo: IFAW
By Patryk Krych | The World Daily | AUGUST 22nd 2021
Though plastic waste and oil spillage are what typically comes to mind when considering oceanic pollution, the effects of noise pollution can have just as dramatic an impact on marine life as anything else.
Noise pollution is a particularly high health concern in Europe, presenting an unexpected threat to both humans, and to wildlife living beneath the surfaces of the ocean. Particularly for mammals, as noise pollution has been proven to cause near-permanent damage to the hair cells found within the internal hearing organs of marine mammals.
A study published earlier this year, which analysed over 10,000 published papers look at the effects of human-generated noise on marine environments and species, had found that the results were far more critical than originally thought, as noise pollution could potentially harm all kinds of creatures from tiny shrimps to massive whales.
“As I was listening, years ago, to a hydrophone recording acquired 1km underwater off the US West Coast, I was surprised to hear the clear sound of rain falling on the surface as the dominant sound in the deep-sea ocean environment,” said the study’s lead author, Professor Carlos Duarte. “I then realised how acoustically connected the ocean surface – where most human noise is generated – is to the deep sea.”
Sounds that are of a volume lower than 70dB are found to be entirely safe for living organisms, regardless of the length of one’s exposure to them. Sounds of a volume on 85dB or higher, on the other hand, are often found to have adverse effects on organisms after at least 8 hours of prolonged exposure according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Wind farms, fishing/shipping vessels, sonar and even underwater drilling are the main propellants of underwater mad-made noise pollution. Though different marine species tend to display varying impacts from noise pollution, several common harmful effects include reproduction and behavioural problems in the majority.
“Imagine having to raise your kids in a place that’s noisy all the time. It’s no wonder many marine animals are showing elevated and detectable levels of stress due to noise,” said Joe Roman, a marine ecologist from the University of Vermont.
