How does ocean noise pollution affect marine life, and how can we reduce it?

Jul 10, 2023

Ocean noise pollution is a growing problem that is harming marine life around the world. Image: Pexels/Daniel Torobekov

Elizabeth Claire Alberts

Staff Writer, Mongabay

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A new UN report outlines possible solutions to three primary sources of anthropogenic noise: shipping, seismic air gun surveys, and pile driving. Image: Josef Grunig / Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Pile driving, the method of hammering foundational structures into the seabed to support offshore wind farms and other constructions, is known to displace harbor porpoises, stress out blue mussels and sea bream, and disturb cod and sole. Image: Dennis Schroeder / NREL via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).

Shipping noise is known to disorient schools of bluefin tuna. Image: United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization/ Danilo Cedrone.

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