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UNDERWATER NOISE POLLUTION

Deafening,
dangerous and deadly

The ocean is a habitat full of natural sounds, yet humans generate deafening noise under water. This has fatal consequences for marine life which relies on acoustic senses for orientation, communication or searching for prey.

OceanCare has been a loud voice for quieter seas since 2002. We ensure that noise pollution is addressed by governments and international bodies and we engage to reduce noise emissions. In some ocean regions, noise levels have doubled every decade since the 1950s. Noise pollution drives animals out of their habitat,  makes them sick and or even kill them.

Who causes underwater noise?

The major sources of noise

How harmful is noise in the seas?

The suffering under water

What needs to be done urgently?

What OceanCare calls for

OceanCare's goals on underwater noise

Unterwasserlärm: Frachtschiff

Slow down!

The faster and larger ships are, the louder they get. Reducing vessel speed is the most effective measure which results in an immediate reduction of underwater noise as well as emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants. This is what OceanCare is campaigning for.

Learn more
Delphine unter Wasser

Create quiet zones

Diverse and biologically important marine regions must be protected from noise pollution. OceanCare successfully achieved that in 2018 the waters between the Balearic Islands and the Spanish mainland were designated as a marine protected area and seismic surveys got rejected.

Unterwasserlärm: Ölplattform im Meer

Stop searching for oil & gas

The search for oil and gas in the seabed involves the use of airguns which are among the loudest sources  emitting highly intense noise blasts. Oil and gas prospection threatens marine life and is not compatible with international climate goals. Help us to stop it.

NEWS

Unterwasserlärm Kampagnenbild Wal mit Kopfhörer

Three industrial sectors have the tools to quieten the ocean

The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), an environmental treaty of the United Nations, publishes a technical report to avoid, reduce and mitigate underwater noise pollution prepared by an OceanCare underwater noise expert.
June 8, 2023
Schnabelwal

Highly unusual beaked whale strandings in Cyprus caused by naval exercises

Beaked whales, which are a group of deep-diving medium-sized whales, are known to be especially vulnerable to loud human noises. They are rarely seen close to shore and they rarely strand. In recent years, unusual mass strandings of beaked whales around the world have been linked to loud noise events...
February 28, 2023
Tiefseebergbau

Scientists warn: Noise from deep-sea mining would threaten whales

A research paper recently published in Frontiers in Marine Science (Thompson, K.F., et al.) sheds light on the threats that deep-sea mining would inflict on large marine species such as whales and sharks. While assessments of mining impacts for obvious reasons so far have focused on species living on or...
February 24, 2023
Unterwasserlärm: Ölplattform im Meer

COP27: a missed opportunity also for the Mediterranean basin.

As we had feared, the recently concluded COP27 has been a climate summit hijacked by the oil and gas companies in such a way that no progress has been made on commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the growing seriousness of the climate emergency, the text drafted by the...
November 20, 2022
Ölplattform

COP27 host Egypt intensively searching for oil and gas in the ocean

Despite Mediterranean Region already exceeded the 1.5 ° C limit for average temperature compared to pre-industrial levels The only way to reach the 1.5°C target is to massively reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The IPCC made this very clear once again in its 2021 report. The Mediterranean region, a hotspot of...
November 6, 2022
Unterwasserlärm: Frachtschiff

OceanCare welcomes IFAW REPORT: New economic analysis of the impacts of vessel speed reduction in European waters: benefits clearly outweigh costs

Today, at an event within the European Parliament, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has published a report showcasing the conclusions of an economic analysis conducted by the independent research firm CE Delft, on the impacts of a speed reduction limit to 75% of design speed for all vessels...
October 25, 2022
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STORIES ON OCEAN NOISE POLLUTION

Story

High Seas Treaty (UNCLOS BBNJ)

Read now
Underwater Noise Pollution International Cooperation Plastic Pollution
Story

Major Shipping Company slows down to protect Whales

Read now
Underwater Noise Pollution Whales Featured
Story

International Maritime Organisation (IMO)

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Underwater Noise Pollution International Cooperation Collisions
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Ocean noise: A serious threat for marine life

Seismic airguns - like the ones you hear at the end of the video - are used to search for oil and gas in the seabed. For weeks, they generate impulsive noise of up to 260 decibels every 10 to 15 seconds.

10 FACTS ABOUT UNDERWATER NOISE POLLUTION

Sound travels almost five times faster in the sea than in the air.

In EU waters, underwater noise emissions doubled between 2014 and 2019.

Blue and fin whales make sounds to find mates over hundreds of kilometres.

Negative impacts due to noise have been documented for at least 150 marine animal species.

Reducing the speed of the global shipping fleet by 10-20% causes a reduction of noise emissions by 40 and 67%, respectively.

Airguns used to search for oil and gas under the sea floor emit noise of  up to 260 decibels every 10-15 seconds.

Following seismic tests in the North Atlantic, local fish catch-rates dropped by up to 70%.

Shots from an airgun can kill all krill larvae within a radius of 1.2 kilometres.

Seismic tests generate 100 times more noise than normal background noise over a radius of up to 300,000 km2.

Seismic airgun noise can penetrate thousands of metres of water and dozens to hundreds of kilometres of seabed.

Publications on ocean noise

Informe: Aguas silenciosas para ballenas y delfines, 2021

60 pages, PDF

Report: Quiet Waters for Whales and Dolphins, 2021

60 pages, PDF

Underwater Noise Pollution: Joint Statement UN Ocean Conference 2022

2 pages, PDF

Briefing: Ocean Noise and the SDGs

6 pages, PDF

UN BBNJ PrepCom II: Statement Ocean Noise, 2016

2 pages, PDF

UN BBNJ 2018: Intervention OceanCare

2 pages, PDF
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With 100 Euro

you support OceanCare’s demand for a speed reduction of transport shipping, as already 10% less speed would reduce shipping noise emissions significantly. 

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About OceanCare
OceanCare works with expertise and passion for ocean wildlife. Since 2011 with UN special consultative status for marine conservation.
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    About OceanCare
    OceanCare has been committed to marine wildlife protection since 1989.

    The organisation holds Special Consultative Status on marine issues with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.
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    • Contact
    • Annual reports
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    OceanCare
    Gerbestrasse 6
    CH-8820 Waedenswil (Switzerland)

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    IBAN: CH83 0483 5040 8744 0000 0
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