Photo credit: Jeremy Bishop
by Halimat Olunlade, Social Media Manager
Some might assume that noise pollution only affects humans, but a hidden crisis is unfolding beneath the waves. Manmade noise beneath the ocean’s surface creates what experts call an “acoustic smog,” which severely impacts marine life along North America’s Pacific coast. This underwater noise pollution penetrates deep into our oceans, significantly affecting northern and critically endangered southern resident killer whales in British Columbia and Washington state, according to a study published in Global Change Biology in September this year.
The noise interferes with marine mammals’ ability to locate and catch prey – a critical concern for species already struggling to survive. According to NOAA Fisheries, killer whales are apex predators that play a vital role in maintaining marine ecosystem balance by regulating other species’ populations, making their preservation essential for ocean biodiversity.
To protect the oceans, Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans released an Ocean Noise Strategy in September 2024. The plan aims to guide efforts to mitigate ocean noise impacts through science, innovation, management and communication. A final strategy is expected in 2025, but many conservationists, including the World Wildlife Fund, say the proposal leaves much to be desired.
Hussein Alidina, WWF’s lead marine conservation specialist, emphasizes that the draft plan fails to include mandatory regulations for quieter ship designs, establish specific noise limits or include a timeline for the few proposed changes. The situation is particularly concerning in British Columbia’s south coast, where shipping traffic, ferries and numerous vessels create one of Canada’s noisiest marine environments – an area that also serves as critical habitat for endangered killer whales. The problem is set to worsen with increased marine traffic from new developments, including the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion which will increase tanker traffic along the coast.
“It’s like an acoustic smog that clouds their ability to sense their environment,” Alidina said in a recent Coast Mountain News story. The strategy’s shortcomings are particularly concerning given that southern resident killer whales already face multiple threats, including food scarcity and environmental contaminants. Without stronger regulations and clear timelines for implementation, these endangered marine mammals and countless other ocean species will continue to struggle in increasingly noisy waters.
