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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

Underwater noise: Cargo ship

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
Two dolphins under water

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.

Underwater noise: Oil platform in the sea

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

Mid-June 2025: First kill of the dolphin hunting season witnessed in the Faroe Islands
On June 12, a very large pod of pilot whales (a large species of dolphin) was driven ashore and killed in Leynar in the Faroe Islands. Their bodies were then taken to Kvívík and to the port area in Vestmanna. The group size was originally noted at over 200 but...
Jun 17, 2025
OceanCare at UNOC3: Offshore Fossil Fuel Exploration Must Stop Now
On behalf of the 200+ international NGOs who co-signed an open letter to the UN Ocean Conference, Nicolas Entrup of OceanCare called on states, during the plenary session, to commit to end oil and gas exploration at sea.
Jun 13, 2025
Powerful international coalition to tackle underwater noise launched at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice
Panama, Canada, and 35 other countries commit to tackling underwater noise pollution to protect marine life.
Jun 11, 2025
Over 114,000 Citizens Call for Ocean Protection: OceanCare Delivers Petition to UN Special Envoy
On World Oceans Day 2025, OceanCare formally delivered its "Because Our Planet Is Blue" petition to Ambassador Peter Thomson, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Ocean. The petition, supported by 114,559 signatures from citizens worldwide, represents a powerful call for urgent action to address the ongoing marine crisis.
Jun 09, 2025
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STORIES ON OCEAN NOISE POLLUTION

Story
Leaving the Fossil Fuels Era Behind
Read nowBecause Our Planet Is Blue Featured Underwater Noise Pollution
Story
Deep-sea Mining: The noise hazard is increasing
Read nowDeep-Sea Mining Underwater Noise Pollution
Story
Underwater noise: Milestones on the way to quieter oceans
Read nowUnderwater Noise Pollution
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VIDEO

Envisioning a Governance Model for an MPA/SPAMI as a Cetacean Migration Corridor: Governance approaches and keys to success

Presentation by Erich Hoyt, Co-chair, IUCN SSC-WCPA Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force, Research Fellow, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, 14 March 2025

Ocean noise: A serious threat for marine life

Seismic airguns - as can be heard in the video - are used for search of oil in the seabed and generate 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

Oceans – Sustainable Food: UNCLOS ICP – Submission (2024)
4 pages, PDF
Oceans – Food Security: UNCLOS ICP – Opening Statement (2024)
1 pages, PDF
Ocean Noise: Noise Mitigation (BAT/BEP) – Report CMS/OceanCare (2023)
56 pages, PDF
Ocean Noise: UN Ocean Conference – Joint Statement (2022)
2 pages, PDF
Ocean Noise: Ocean Noise and the SDGs – Briefing (2022)
6 pages, PDF
Ocean Noise: Neglected threat in the EU – Report (2021)
16 pages, PDF
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Your donation for quiet oceans

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

Donate now

JOIN US IN SUPPORTING MARINE CONSERVATION

With your donation

Every amount is of value and will help to protect the ocean and its inhabitants both today and in the future.

With your interest

Take a dive into the underwater world: In the e-newsletter you can find out what OceanCare is doing for marine life on an ongoing basis.

    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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