The impact of human-caused ocean noise pollution on fish, invertebrates, and ecosystem services
Channel: OCTO (Open Communications for the Ocean)
Date: 30/04/2019

This webinar originally aired on 30 April, 2019.

Most fish and invertebrates use sound for vital life functions. This presentation will summarize highlights from 115 studies showing impacts from noise on 66 species of fish and 36 species of invertebrates. These impacts include decreased growth, body condition, feeding, reproduction, abundance, immune competency, nutritional condition, catch rates, school coordination and structure, nest-caring, and territory defense. Noise caused permanently damaged ears and sensory organs, developmental delays and malformations, and increased stress, metabolism, masking, and mortality. Impacts extend beyond individual species to include communities of species and how they interact, compromising ecosystem productivity, and ecological services (sediment mixing, nutrient cycling) with commercial consequences. Conservation and management implications of these findings, and possible policy solutions, will be discussed at the end of this presentation. This work was sponsored by OceanCare.

Presented by: Lindy Weilgart of Dalhousie University and OceanCare

Co-sponsors: OCTO (OpenChannels, The Skimmer, MPA News) and the EBM Tools Network (co-coordinated by OCTO and NatureServe)