Mitigating ocean noise, a matter of survival

Q: Noise doesn't just affect cetaceans, then?

A: 40 years ago, when the scientific community began to realize the impacts that noise pollution could have on the marine environment, we focused on cetaceans. As these species use sound as a tool to carry out their daily activities, we thought they were the most affected. We invested a lot of effort and resources to understand the sensitivity of some 90 species of cetaceans, which alone would represent a lifetime’s work.

However, ten years ago we realized that species such as marine invertebrates, which are not 90 species but thousands, suffer more than cetaceans. All these microscopic beings that lack hearing as we understand it, capture the vibrations caused by noise pollution in the sea.

When LAB discovered and published a study in Nature on the acoustic sensitivity of plants, especially the posidonia, our perspective changed. This shows, for the first time, that artificial and high intensity sound sources prevent plants, whether terrestrial or marine, from living. This pollution is jeopardizing its balance and, therefore, the survival of the planet.

Q: How then can we achieve a balance between the well-being of these marine species and the human activities that take place in the marine environment?

A: The first step is disclosure. Throughout history, humanity has ignored the acoustic dimension of the oceans, since this phenomenon has only come to light thanks to the technology which is now available to us. Few people are aware that the sea is full of sound and that a silent sea is a dead sea. The responsibility and urgency of scientists is to put order and restore this balance. Operators and governments must take steps to reduce these noise sources. The advantage of sound is that when the source that produces it is turned off, its effects are erased. This gives us a margin of hope if operators and governments act and shipyards build quieter ships, isolating the engine room or changing the design of the propellers.

Q: In this context, how can ports help minimize noise pollution?

A: Ports can play a fundamental role because for centuries they have been an exchange hub. There is an economic reality that passes through maritime transport and ports are the ecosystem that can generate a great social, environmental and economic impact. As users, we are all responsible for the activities that take place in the ports and the consequences they generate.

As an example of initiatives that ports can carry out, I would highlight the Echo program of the Port of Vancouver, since it is the first, worldwide, that seeks to reduce the noise level of ships when they enter their facilities and thus minimize the impact that these disturbances cause in the ecosystem.

Q: You are also participating in the Saturn project, funded by the European Commission's Horizon 2020 program. What advances in noise reduction do you hope to achieve?

A: Europe tries to respond to the problem of noise pollution by launching several calls. The Saturn project deals precisely with the specific problem of maritime transport. Currently there are about 100,000 active merchant ships with a tonnage greater than 100 GT (container ships, oil tankers, bulk carriers, ...) to which we have to add a greater number of small boats and this is difficult to calculate. This project tries to understand the impact that transport has on cetaceans, fish, invertebrates and plankton and to establish these thresholds that are so difficult to define, as we said before. It also seeks to support the industry in the design of quieter boats and propellers that allow this cohabitation. We are not going to stop our maritime and land operations, but a balance that reduces their noise impact must be achieved. Although we have forgotten it, we are part of nature and we have to restore this sense of belonging. Scientists want to contribute by opening paths that allow us to achieve this goal.