2025_programme: Mapping multi-year shipping noise trends to inform marine policy in the Northeast Atlantic
- Day: June 17, Tuesday
Location / Time: C. THALIA at 12:40-13:00
- Last minutes changes: -
- Session: 22. Underwater noise in the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive: implementation, monitoring, assessment and measures
Organiser(s): Peter Sigray, Aristides Prospathopoulos, Emmanuel Skarsoulis
Chairperson(s): Aristides Prospathopoulos, Emmanuel Skarsoulis
- Lecture: Mapping multi-year shipping noise trends to inform marine policy in the Northeast Atlantic
Paper ID: 2202
Author(s): Adrian Farcas, Rosalyn Seddon, Nathan Merchant
Presenter: Adrian Farcas
Abstract: While it is clear that underwater noise pollution from commercial shipping has grown in recent decades, it is far from clear at what rate shipping noise is increasing in different parts of the global ocean, nor even what current noise levels are or how they are distributed. These knowledge gaps must be addressed if policymakers are to understand the threat that shipping noise poses to marine ecosystems and to reduce this threat in an effective and efficient way. Here, we pre-sent recent work commissioned by UK Government to map levels of shipping noise in the Northeast Atlantic over a period of six years (2018-2023). These maps reveal the distribution of shipping noise trends for the first time and provide predictions of shipping noise levels which have been ground-truthed using field measurements at multiple locations. We present analyses of the varying rates at which shipping noise has increased during this period, and the areas in which a statistically significant trend can be detected. We also compare these contemporary trends with historic trends published in the literature. Building on our advisory work with UK Government and internationally via OSPAR, we discuss the implications of these findings for the effective targeting of ship noise reduction measures and the achievement of existing policy targets in relation to underwater noise pollution.
- Corresponding author: Dr Adrian Farcas
Affiliation: Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas)
Country: United Kingdom
