Taking it slow can help reduce impacts of Arctic shipping on whales (commentary)

[Judi Lynn]

Commentary by Matt Pine on 28 August 2018

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For 19th-century adventurers like Sir John Franklin, navigating a path through the ice-choked Northwest Passage — the Holy Grail of Arctic exploration — was a treacherous and often deadly undertaking. Today, thanks to climate change, traveling through the passage is quickly becoming another exotic option for cruise ship passengers — and an enticing shortcut for cargo ships.

But an increasingly ice-free Arctic means more than just a chance for a new sightseeing adventure: Significantly increased ship traffic is altering the submarine calm of one of the quietest places on Earth. That could have serious implications for marine mammals and fish that rely on sound for group cohesion, socializing, finding mates, navigating, and detecting threats.

For a study just published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin, my colleagues and I sought to determine just how intrusive ship engines are on the Arctic soundscape and whether or not there are any changes ships can make to improve the aural environment for wildlife there.

Marine mammals and fish make a variety of sounds for a variety of purposes. Bowhead whale songs intended to attract mates are complex and broadband. Other vocalizations (to navigate, for example) fall in a narrower range. Beluga whale vocalizations are highly variable, with tonal sounds and echolocation clicks in different sound ranges. Bearded seals also emit several different call types and fish have their own suite of grunts and pulses.

More:
https://news.mongabay.com/2018/08/taking-it-slow-can-help-reduce-impacts-of-arctic-shipping-on-whales-commentary/