Solutions @ Underwater Radiated Noise (SATURN) (2021-2025)

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. The science plan includes dose-response studies on fishes and invertebrates, in-situ behavioral studies on aquatic mammals, development of on-board quiet ship technology, standardization, a case study of major ship re-routing in the Kattegat, and a quiet ship stakeholder board.

https://www.marei.ie/project/saturn-solutions-at-underwater-radiated-noise/

Status

IQOE is in its 9th year as a 10-year project and continues to implement of its Science Plan (available here). IQOE has successfully coordinated a variety of activities in ocean acoustics and bioacoustics through IQOE working groups on the use of acoustics to assess biodiversity, the importance of acoustic observations in the Arctic Ocean, standards for reporting ocean acoustic and bioacoustic data for IQOE, software for making acoustic observations comparable worldwide, and recommendations for implementation of an Ocean Sound Essential Ocean Variable for the Global Ocean Observing System. IQOE progress has been documented since June 2018 through IQOE Newsletters and since the beginning of the project through other products. IQOE identified 2020 as the Year of the Quiet Ocean because of evidence that ocean sound decreased because of decreases in human activities in the ocean due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Next Steps

Activities in 2024 will include actions to help implement the Ocean Sound Essential Ocean Variable Implementation Plan; continuation of new activities on low-cost ocean acoustic observing systems and expansion of the Open Portal to Underwater Sound (OPUS), implementation of the Global Library of Underwater Biological Sounds, sponsorship of the second World Ocean Passive Acoustic Monitoring Day; and meetings of IQOE working groups and Science Committee.