This week is Capital Hill Oceans Week in Washington D.C. Organized by the National Marine Sanctuaries Program, this event brings together ocean policy makers and scientists from around the U.S. to discuss cutting edge issues in marine science and conservation. (please see: https://www.marinesanctuary.org/chow/)

The session is entitled “Cacophony: The decline of silent seas” and it take place on Wednesday, June 14, 2017 from 9:30 am to 10:30 am at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC). The session will be led by SEA’s Dr Brandon Southall. Panelists include experts in marine noise reduction, commercial shipping operations, oil and gas exploration, and marine conservation. A summary of the session is given below.

NOTE: A full video of this panel discussion is now available online

“Diving under the waves often elicits images of a quiet and serene place, but the sea is no longer silent. As use of technology for everything from shipping to energy exploration and production, to military activity increases, our use of the ocean brings with it noise that travels long distances and has lasting effects throughout the marine environment. Numerous marine animals from invertebrates to mammals rely on sound for survival. We are just beginning to understand the full range of how sound is used by these animals – finding prey, mating, avoiding predators, navigating, and communicating – and how anthropogenic noise impacts these functions. This session will explore the current information that exists on ocean noise and its mitigation, with a focus on the development and implementation of noise reduction technology within industry.”