IFAW: Ocean noise poses grave threat to marine mammals

Wednesday, 3 December 2008 12:00 AM

IFAW urges action to protect whales, dolphins and porpoises.

The future of many marine species is greatly at risk from man-made under-sea noise pollution, conservationists warned today, prompting urgent discussions at this week's 9th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS).

A report released today by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Ocean Noise: Turn it down, showed that, in recent decades, ocean noise created by human activities has risen dramatically, posing a major threat to many marine mammals. Noise from commercial shipping, sonar, seismic exploration by the oil and gas industry, off-shore construction and recreational activities, is contributing to a progressively more disorientating environment for the world's cetaceans.

Whales, dolphins, porpoises and other cetaceans rely on under-water sounds for communication, navigation and to locate food. Escalating man-made noise pollution can cause behavioural changes in cetaceans such as abandoning breeding and feeding areas, and in extreme cases lead to stranding and even death.

In recent years, international bodies such as United Nations, IMO (International Maritime Organisation) and the European Union have given greater attention to ocean noise pollution and IFAW believes that CMS can play a vital part in ensuring that robust resolutions to protect these species are urgently implemented. IFAW is calling on CMS Parties and the CMS Secretariat to consider a wide range of measures under discussion at the Convention to tackle underwater noise.

"Protecting marine species from ocean noise is critical to their survival. Ocean noise can travel over vast distances and affect marine species across many national sea boundaries," said Veronica Frank, IFAW Campaign Officer. "Therefore it is vital that countries work together to build strong agreements to prevent marine species being drowned out by disruptive, man-made noise."

IFAW's report highlighted that ship noise in the Pacific Ocean has doubled every decade over the past 40 years* and that the global shipping fleet is expected to double in size by 2025. In contrast, the distance over which blue whales can communicate has been cut by a staggering 90 per cent as a result of increased noise levels.

IFAW's ocean noise report particularly condemns high intensity noise such as seismic surveys and military sonar. These emit sounds above 200 decibels which can injure marine animals. Scientists have also linked high intensity sonar with fatal strandings of whales and dolphins.

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Notes to editors

* McDonald et al, 2006

CMS

The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) aims to conserve terrestrial, marine and avian migratory species throughout their range. It is an international intergovernmental treaty, concluded under the United Nations Environment Programme, concerned with the conservation of wildlife and habitats on a global scale.

Migratory species threatened with extinction are listed on Appendix I of the Convention. CMS Parties strive towards strictly protecting these animals, conserving or restoring the places where they live, removing obstacles to migration and controlling other factors that might endanger them. CMS promotes concerted action among the Range States of many species.

Migratory species which would significantly benefit from international co-operation are listed in Appendix II of the Convention and the Convention encourages Range States to reach global or regional Agreements. The Agreements may be legally binding treaties called Agreements or less formal instruments, such as Memoranda of Understanding. The development of models tailored according to the conservation needs throughout the migratory range is a unique capacity to CMS.

IFAW

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW - www.ifaw.org) is a leading international animal welfare organisation and has campaigned for decades to protect whales, elephants and other threatened species.

IFAW is formally recognised as a partner organisation to the CMS and works to advance the development and implementation of Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) concluded under the auspices of CMS.

IFAW has also participated as observers to CITES meetings for more than a decade, and works with the CITES Secretariat in Geneva to promote the protection of animal species threatened by trade.

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