1 Tahrcountry Musings: UK Inter-agency Committee on Marine Science and Technology urges research on marine sounds

Monday, February 13, 2006

UK Inter-agency Committee on Marine Science and Technology urges research on marine sounds

With speculation running rife that that the whale found in the Thames last month had been disorientated by sounds, UK’s Inter-agency Committee on Marine Science and Technology has urged that research into the effect of sound in the oceans on marine mammals should be commissioned by the UK Government post-haste. The committee says mammals are affected by many sounds, including sonar, oil exploration and ship. The report points accusing fingers at 13 cases of strandings of whales and dolphins which appear to have been linked to specific sources of noise by naval vessels. The committee has suggested inter alia that it would be a good idea to expose marine mammals to sound mimicking the noise of sonar, oil drilling and other activities to get first hand confirmation of these speculations.

UK Government should forthwith initiate research in to this very serious isssue. This path breaking reserch will help dispel forever the denials by Navys and oil exploration firms.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Agreed. It is time real facts are brought out.

Anonymous said...

The unsavoury incidents of whale beaching has gone far too long with Navys issuing coustomary denials. Urgent scientific investigation is the need of the hour.
Bravo UK’s Inter-agency Committee on Marine Science and Technology

Jade L Blackwater said...

We need to continue writing to our Naval and Government leaders urging them to find safer alternatives and to take this issue seriously.

Mohan Alembath said...

Agreed. That is what we should do