As the understanding of the possible impacts of anthropogenic underwater sound has increased, so have efforts been designed to reduce the effects to marine species and habitats. Consequently, over the last decade, a large number of new policies, regulations, and joint efforts to reduce anthropogenic sound and mitigate affects to aquatic life have been introduced internationally. The United States, Canada, the EU, and many regional and multinational organizations have implemented regulations governing underwater anthropogenic sound. While habitat-centric policies have been developed internationally, difficulty in implementing these highlights the need for additional research including efforts to monitor over longer temporal scales, assess impacts to estuarine and freshwater environments, obtain baseline data where possible, and better understand impacts of chronic noise on individual fitness and population health. This paper reviews the developments in policy focused on reducing the impacts of anthropogenic impacts on aquatic habitats and makes recommendations on research efforts required to manage the impact of underwater anthropogenic sound on habitats.
References
1.
ADEON (Atlantic Deepwater Ecosystem Observatory Network)
(2020
). “Atlantic Deepwater Ecosystem Observatory Network
,” https://adeon.unh.edu/ (Last viewed April 22, 2020).2.
Amoser
, S.
, and Ladich
, F.
(2005
). “Are hearing sensitivities of freshwater fish adapted to the ambient noise in their habitats?
,” J. Exp. Biol.
208
, 3533
–3542
.3.
Boehlert
, G. W.
, and Mundy
, B. C.
(1988
). “Roles of behavioral and physical factors in larval and juvenile fish recruitment to estuarine nursery areas
,” Am. Fish. Soc. Symp.
3
, 51
–67
.4.
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
(2019
). “Ongoing Environmental Studies by Region
,” https://www.boem.gov/environment/environmental-studies/ongoing-environmental-studies-region (Last viewed April 22, 2020).5.
CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity)
(2014
). “Marine and coastal biodiversity: Impacts on marine and coastal biodiversity of anthropogenic underwater noise and ocean acidification, priority actions to achieve Aichi Biodiversity Target 10 for coral reefs and closely associated ecosystems, and marine spatial planning and training initiatives
,” COP 12 Decision XII/23.6.
CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity)
(2016
). “Scientific Synthesis of the Impacts of Underwater Noise on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity and Habitats
,” UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/20/INF/8.7.
DFO (Fisheries and Oceans Canada)
(2018
). “Recovery Strategy for the Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) in Canada
.”8.
DFO (Fisheries and Oceans Canada)
(2019a
). “Understanding the marine environment to better protect whales
,” http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/environmental-environnement/marine-environment-milieu-marin/index-eng.html (Last viewed December 20, 2019).9.
DFO (Fisheries and Oceans Canada)
(2019b
). “2019 management measures to protect Southern Resident killer whales
,” https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/maps-cartes/srkw-ers/index-eng.html (Last viewed December 18, 2019).10.
EC (European Commission)
(2010
). “Commission Decision of 1 September 2010 on criteria and methodological standards on good environmental status of marine waters
,” 2010/477/EU.11.
EC (European Commission)
(2017
). “Commission Decision of 17 May 2017 laying down criteria and methodological standards on good environmental status of marine waters and specifications and standardized methods for monitoring and assessment, and repealing Decision 2010/477/EU
,” 2017/848/EU.12.
EC (European Commission)
(2018
). “Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council assessing Member States' programmes of measures under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive
,” COM(2018)562/F1.13.
Erbe
, C.
, Reichmuth
, C.
, Cunningham
, K.
, Lucke
, K.
, and Dooling
, R.
(2016
). “Communication masking in marine mammals: A review and research strategy
,” Mar. Pollut. Bull.
103
, 15
–38
.14.
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)
(2019
). “Report of Joint GFCM/OceanCare Workshop on anthropogenic underwater noise and impacts on fish, invertebrates and fish resources
.”15.
Gill
, J. A.
, Sutherland
, W. J.
, and Watkinson
, A. R.
(1996
). “A method to quantify the effects of human disturbance on animal populations
,” J. Appl. Ecol.
33
. 786
–792
.16.
Hatch
, L. T.
, Wahle
, C. M.
, Gedamke
, J.
, Harrison
, J.
, Laws
, B.
, Moore
, S.
, Stadler
, J. H.
, and Van Parijs
, S. M.
(2016
). “Can you hear me? Managing acoustic habitat in US waters
,” Endang. Species. Res.
30
. 171
–186
.17.
He
, F.
, Zarfi
, C.
, Bremerich
, V.
, David
, J.
, Hogan
, Z.
, Kalinkat
, G.
, Tockner
, K.
, and Jahnig
, S.
(2019
). “The global decline of freshwater megafauna
,” Glob. Change Biol.
25
(11
), 3883–3892
.18.
HELCOM (Baltic Marine Environmental Protection Commission
) (2018
). “Outcome of STATE & CONSERVATION 8-2018
,” HOD 54-2018, 4
–19
.19.
Hermannsen
, L.
, Mikkelsen
, L.
, Tourgaard
, J.
, Beedholm
, K.
, Johnson
, M.
, and Madsen
, P.
(2019
). “Recreational vessels without Automatic Identification System (AIS) dominate anthropogenic noise contributions to a shallow water soundscape
,” Sci. Rep.
9
, 15477
.20.
IMO (International Maritime Organization)
(2014
). MEPC. 1/Circ. 833 Guidelines for the Reduction of Underwater Noise from Commercial Shipping to Address Adverse Impacts on Marine Life
(Marine Environmental Protection Committee
, London
).21.
IWC (International Whaling Commission)
(2018
). “Resolution on Anthropogenic Noise
,” Resolution 2018-4.22.
IWC (International Whaling Commission)
(2016
). “Conservation Committee Strategic Plan
2016
-2026
,” https://iwc.int/document_3707 (Last viewed April 22, 2020).23.
Jones
, L.
(2019
). (personal communication).24.
Jones
, N.
(2019
). “A pending shift in a prominent shipping lane will be used to study noise pollution,” Hakai Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.hakaimagazine.com/news/a-pending-shift-in-a-prominent-shipping-lane-will-be-used-to-study-noise-pollution/ (Last viewed April 22, 2020).25.
Lewandowski
, J.
(2016
). “Getting off the decision carousel: The case study of marine mammals and sound
,” Proc. Mtgs. Acoust.
27
, 032004
.26.
Mei
, Z.
, Huang
, S.
, Hao
, Y.
, Turvey
, S. T.
, Gong
, W.
, and Wang
, D.
(2012
). “Accelerating population decline of Yangtze finless porpoise
,” Biol. Conserv.
153
, 192
–200
.27.
Navy (U.S. Navy)
(2019
). “Navy Living Marine Resources Program
,” Retrieved from https://www.navfac.navy.mil/lmr (Last viewed April 22, 2020).28.
Nedelec
, S. L.
, Radford
, A.
, Pearl
, L.
, Nedelec
, B.
, McCormack
, M. I.
, Meekan
, M. G.
, and Simpson
, S. D.
(2017
). “Motorboat sound impacts parental behaviour and offspring survival in a reef fish
,” Proc. R. Soc. B.
284
, 20170143
.29.
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Services)
(2011
). “Endangered and Threatened Species: Designation of Critical Habitat for Cook Inlet Beluga Whale
,” Fed. Regist. [Docket No. Docket No. 090224232-0457-04, 11 April 2011] 83 FR 35062.30.
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Services)
(2014
). “Endangered and Threatened Species: Critical Habitat for the Northwest Atlantic Ocean Loggerhead Sea Turtle Distinct Population Segment (DPS) and Determination Regarding Critical Habitat for the North Pacific Ocean Loggerhead DPS
,” Fed. Regist. [Docket No. 130513467-4401-02, 11 August 2014] 79 FR 39855.31.
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service)
(2016
). “Ocean Noise Strategy Roadmap
,” (Department of Commerce).32.
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Services)
(2017
). “Endangered and Threatened Species; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Endangered New York Bight, Chesapeake Bay, Carolina and South Atlantic Distinct Population Segments of Atlantic Sturgeon and the Threatened Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic Sturgeon
,” Fed. Regist. [Docket No. 150818735-7452-02, 17 August 2017] 82 FR 39160.33.
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service)
(2018a
). “2018 Revisions to: Technical Guidance for Assessing the Effects of Anthropogenic Sound on Marine Mammal Hearing (Version 2.0): Underwater Thresholds for Onset of Permanent and Temporary Threshold Shifts
,” (U.S. Department of Commerce).34.
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Services)
(2018b
). “Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Final Rulemaking To Designate Critical Habitat for the Main Hawaiian Islands Insular False Killer Whale Distinct Population Segment
,” Fed. Regist. [Docket No. 120815341-8396-02, 24 July 2018] 76 FR 20179.35.
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
(2020
). “CetSound
,” Retrieved from https://cetsound.noaa.gov/cetsound (Last viewed April 22, 2020).36.
ONMS (Office of National Marine Sanctuaries)
(2020
). “Sound Monitoring
,” Retrieved from https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/monitoring/sound/ (Last viewed April 22, 2020).37.
OSPAR (The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic)
(2017
). “Meeting of the Intersessional Correspondence Group on Underwater Noise (ICG-Noise), including a joint session with the HELCOM Expert Network on Noise
,” https://www.ospar.org/meetings/archive/meeting-of-the-intersessional-correspondence-group-on-underwater-noise-icg-noise-including-a-joint-session-with-the-helcom-ex (Last viewed December 20, 2019).38.
PAME (Protection of the Arctic Environment)
(2019
). Underwater Noise: A State of Knowledge Report
(Arctic Council
, Roveniemi
).39.
Pirotta
, E.
, Booth
, C. G.
, Costa
, D. P.
, Fleishman
, E.
, Kraus
, S. D.
, Lusseau
, D.
, Moretti
, D.
, New
, L. F.
, Schick
, R. S.
, Schwartz
, L. L.
, Simmons
, S. E.
, Thomas
, L.
, Tyack
, P.
, Weise
, M.
, Wells
, R. S.
, and Harwood
, J.
(2018
). “Understanding the population consequences of disturbance
,” Ecol. Evol.
8
, 9934
–9946
.40.
Port of Vancouver
(2019
). “EcoAction Program Brochure
,” Retrieved from https://www.portvancouver.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/EcoAction-Program-Brochure-Online-v%C6%92-2019_FINALlrg.pdf (Last viewed April 22, 2020).41.
Prideaux
, G.
(2016
). CMS Family Guidelines on Environmental Impact Assessment for Marine Noise-generating Activities
(Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals
, Bonn
).42.
Prideaux
, G.
(2017
). Technical Support Information to the CMS Family Guidelines on Environmental Impact Assessments for Marine Noise-generating Activities
(Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals
, Bonn
).43.
Putland
, R. L.
, Merchant
, N. D.
, Farcas
, A.
, and Radford
, C. A.
(2018
). “Vessel sound cuts down communication space for vocalizing fish and marine mammals
,” Glob. Change Biol.
24
, 1708
–1721
.44.
Rolland
, R. M.
, Parks
, S. E.
, Hunt
, K. E.
, Castellote
, M.
, Corkerton
, P. J.
, Nowacek
, D. P.
, Wasser
, S. K.
, and Kraus
, S. D.
(2012
). “Evidence that ship noise increases stress in right whales
,” Proc. R. Soc. B.
279
, 2363
–2368
.45.
Simmonds
, M. P.
, Dolman
, S. J.
, Jasny
, M.
, Parsons
, C. M.
, Weilgart
, L.
, Wright
, A. J.
, and Leaper
, R.
(2014
). “Marine noise pollution–increasing recognition but need for more practical action
,” J. Ocean Technol.
9
, 71
–90
.46.
Soares
, C.
, Pacheco
, A.
, Zabel
, F.
, Gonzalez-Goberna
, E.
, and Sequeira
, C.
(2020
). “Baseline assessment of underwater noise in the Ria Formosa
,” Mar. Pollut. Bull.
150
, 110731
.47.
TC (Transport Canada)
(2018
). “Transport Canada's Ongoing Underwater Noise Work and Southern Resident Killer Whales
,” Retrieved from https://iaac-aeic.gc.ca/050/documents/p80054/123654E.pdf (Last viewed April 22, 2020).48.
TC (Transport Canada)
(2019
). “TC-IC Call for Proposal—Marine Mammal Protection—Stream 2 (T8009-190191/A)
,” Retrieved from https://buyandsell.gc.ca/procurement-data/tender-notice/PW-XLV-591-7873 (Last viewed April 22, 2020).49.
UN (United Nations)
(2006
). “Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 20 December 2006
,” A/RES/61/222, para. 107.50.
UN (United Nations)
(2017
). “Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 5 December 2017
,” A/RES/72/73, para. 271.51.
UN (United Nations)
(2018
). “Advance and unedited reporting material from UN General Assembly Seventy-Third session
,” https://www.un.org/Depts/los/consultative_process/icp19_report.pdf (Last viewed April 22, 2020).52.
Wang
, Z.
, Akamatsu
, T.
, Nowacek
, D.
, Yuan
, J.
, Zhou
, L.
, Lei
, P.
, Li
, J.
, Duan
, P.
, Wang
, K.
, and Wang
, D.
(2019
). “Soundscape of an Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) hotspot before windfarm construction in the Pearl River Estuary, China: Do dolphin engage in noise avoidance and passive eavesdropping behavior
?,” Mar. Pollut. Bull.
140
, 509
–522
.© 2020 Acoustical Society of America.
2020
Acoustical Society of America
You do not currently have access to this content.
