IQOE Endorsed Projects

Sound provides a powerful tool for studying marine life, ocean dynamics, and human use of marine resources. Passive acoustic technology can be used to non-invasively assess environmental noise levels, surface conditions, human activity, and the distribution and biodiversity of vocalizing marine life. Active acoustic technology provides a high-resolution (in both time and space) measure of biological (zooplankton and fish abundance and distribution) and physical oceanographic processes (internal waves, frontal systems). Learn more.

Sounds are omnipresent in the underwater environment and can be produced by natural (waves, weather, animals) and anthropogenic (shipping, construction) sources. There is an increasing concern about the possibility of negative effects of anthropogenic underwater sound on marine fauna. The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD: 2008/56/EG) requires all EU Member States (MS) to reach or maintain Good Environmental Status (GES). GES is described in 11 Descriptors and all the MS must set criteria and methodological standards for each Descriptor in their marine strategies. The MSFD explicitly encourages regional co-operation between member states. Descriptor 11 focuses on introduction of energy in the marine environment, including underwater sounds. It describes two indicators: loud, low and mid frequency impulsive sounds (11.1.1); and continuous low frequency sound (11.2.1), widely referred to as “ambient sound”. Ambient sound arises from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Current noise levels in European marine waters and their impact on the ecosystem are largely unknown. The aim of this project is to develop a framework for a fully operational joint monitoring programme for ambient sound in the North Sea. Outputs will be the tools necessary for managers, planners and other stakeholders to incorporate the effects of ambient noise in their assessment of the environmental status of the North Sea, and to develop measures to improve the environment.

JONAS aims to address the risks of acoustic pressures on biodiversity focusing on sensitive receptor species in the NE Atlantic by streamlining ocean noise monitoring and risk prediction. Cost effective, risk-based approaches to monitoring and modelling noise across the maritime territories of the Atlantic Arc countries (France, Ireland, Portugal Spain and the UK) will be developed; these will be appropriate to the scale of the area, the levels of anthropogenic pressure, and the susceptibility of receptor species. Learn more.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) Ocean Noise Reference Station (NRS) Network was established in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) to document baseline levels and multi-year trends in ocean ambient sound in 12 discrete environments throughout the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Using time-series data collected within four National Marine Sanctuaries (NMS), two National Parks, and six other habitats throughout the U.S. EEZ, the NRS network provides data to compare long-term changes and trends in the low-frequency underwater ambient sound field. Monitoring these biological areas of interest is of high importance; these environments are home to a variety of endangered marine animals but are at the same time exposed to increased human use including recreational/commercial shipping and fishing as well as renewable energy efforts. Establishment and continuation of the NRS Network has been funded by the NMFS Ocean Acoustics Program, Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (OAR), the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (NOS), all NMFS Science Centers, and the National Park Service. See pmel.noaa.gov/acoustics/noaanps-ocean-noise-reference-station-network.

The acoustic communication system of the humpback whale relies on an individual’s ability to maintain contact with conspecifics across various distances. On the Pacific Coast of Colombia, industrial, commercial, and tourist activities that support the livelihood of local communities in Golfo de Tribuga may interfere with many humpback whale contact calls. An increase in anthropogenic noise is projected to occur once international port construction near Buenaventura begins as early as 2019, further inhibiting the whales’ communication ability. Our research team will perform a true Before-After Control-Impact (BACI) marine study. In doing so, the amount of acoustic pressure that port construction and its associated subsequent traffic will place on Colombia’s Pacific Coast ecosystem can be quantified, and ultimately help guide the government and local communities to make development decisions that will least impact the endangered humpback whale G stock on their breeding grounds.

See Facebook page at facebook.com/PHySIColombia.

QUIETSEAS is a project funded by the DG Environment of the European Commission within the call “DG ENV/MSFD 2020”). This call funds the next phase of Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) implementation.

The QUIETSEAS project aims to support Member States (MS) Competent Authorities for the practical development of the MSFD through assisting (sub) regional cooperation by providing methods and tools for underwater noise (D11) assessment and management. This project is built on the work developed by the QUIETMED (2017-2019) and QUIETMED2 (2019-2021) projects, funded in previous MSFD calls.

Main objectives of this project are oriented to enable progress towards the risk of impact assessment of underwater noise on biodiversity and facilitate the implementation of coordinated mitigation measures in order to attain the Good Environmental Status (GES).

Practical outcomes will be produced by providing guidance for GES assessment through i) identifying specific impact indicators (for sensitive species-marine mammals) and enable anthropogenic continuous sound risk-based assessment, ii) providing common methodologies to facilitate the implementation of assessment frameworks and setting threshold values for continuous sound and iii) delivering tools for effective risk-based management of anthropogenic impulsive (D11C1) and continuous sound (D11C2).

Under a wide scope, the QUIETSEAS project will consider particularities for the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea regions, continuing the cooperation already established, not only at EU regional and subregional level, but also with no European Countries in the context of the Barcelona Convention. The QUIETSEAS project aims to boost this cooperation through iv) assessing the effectiveness of potential coordinated measures to reduce the pressure caused by maritime traffic and v) building capacities to ensure knowledge transfer.

The QUIETSEAS project is coordinated by the Marine Technology Centre in Spain (CTN). The consortium is made up of 10 entities, including relevant actors of the Common Implementation Strategy (TG Noise), Regional Sea Conventions (Barcelona – UNEP/MAP, OSPAR), and Competent Authorities. ACCOBAMS (Monaco), SHOM (France), HCMR (Greece), POLIMI (Italy), IZVRS (Slovenia), SPA/RAC (Tunisia), MHD (Romania), DHM (Cyprus), and ICES (Denmark) set up this team.

For more information, see quietseas.eu.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Navy are engaged in a multi-year effort to monitor underwater sound within the U.S. National Marine Sanctuary System. The agencies are working with numerous scientific partners to study sound within seven national marine sanctuaries and one marine national monument, which includes waters off the east coast region of the United States (Stellwagen Bank, Gray’s Reef and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuaries), the west coast region (Olympic Coast, Monterey Bay and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuaries) and the Pacific region (Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument). The project is designed to provide standardized baseline information important for contextualizing both how much sound is introduced within these protected areas by specific sources and potential impacts to the areas’ marine taxa and habitats. For more information, see sanctuaries.noaa.gov/science/monitoring/sound.

SATURN will advance knowledge of acute and cumulative effects of ship noise on water species (fishes, invertebrates and aquatic mammals), develop standards for terminology, metrics and signals, establish a stakeholder group from across the range of relevant disciplines, identify, quantify and validate any negative impacts from shipping and boats, and assess suitable mitigation measures for reducing environmental impact from underwater noise from a policy and commercial perspective. Learn more.

Maritime authorities in Sweden and Denmark have proposed a rerouting of the main shipping routes into the Baltic, scheduled to be effectuated in 2020. Roughly 80,000 ships pass through Kattegat each year, roughly half of them in the deep water route T through the Great Belt, the other half through the Sound (route D). The rerouting will move the split between the two routes about 100 km to the north, creating a new route S parallel to the Swedish coast and about 20 km east of the existing route T. This creates a unique opportunity to study effects of heavy ship traffic in a shallow sea. A range of parameters will be measured in the existing shipping lane, the new shipping lane and reference areas away from the shipping lanes. This will be done for at least a full year prior to rerouting, to establish a baseline, and at least one full year after the change.

A number of work packages are planned. Primary goal will be to describe changes to the soundscape (by sound recorders) in ecological important areas and quantify effects on harbour porpoise abundance (by passive acoustic monitoring). Secondary goals will be to study other ecosystem components: birds (by aerial surveys), fish (by eDNA) and benthic invertebrates (by surveys and sampling).