According to a recent study published in Science, excess ocean noise from shipping, construction, sonar and seismic surveys may be harming the hearing of marine life, in the same way that excess noise can be harmful to human hearing.
Noise from shipping, construction, sonar and seismic surveys is “drowning out” the healthy ocean soundscape, scientists say.
“Sound is a fundamental cue for feeding, navigation, communication and social interaction in the ocean,” for example newly hatched fish larvae may be unable to hear “the call of home” when drifting in the vast ocean.
These tiny fish larvae normally hear the call from their habitat and follow the sound back to spawn locations, however the damage from man made noise is making this migration problematic.
High levels of noise in humans has been shown to contribute to stress and hearing loss, but unlike our aquatic cousins help is at hand with modern ear protection and hearing aids offering significant assistance with the effects of high noise levels.