Our seas and oceans are at risk. There is no longer any doubt that between climate crisis and plastic pollution, marine wildlife is facing unprecedented challenges.

However, another source of marine pollution barely goes noticed despite its destructive if not deadly consequences: underwater noise.

Shipping, oil and gas exploration, military sonar, and underwater construction are all creating an enormous amount of noise that can conceal the ocean’s natural sounds, reducing the ability of whales, dolphins, and other marine wildlife to feed, breed, communicate and ultimately, survive.

Research has found that in the Pacific Ocean, for example, shipping noise has doubled every decade for the past 40 years, that’s a shocking 1,600% increase! In the meantime, the ability of blue whales to interact and navigate has been radically impacted with the distance over which they communicate reduced by a staggering 90%.