What impacts can seismic surveys have on marine mammals?
Unlike humans and other terrestrial animals, marine mammals rely on sound instead of sight as their primary sense. Dolphins, whales and seals utilize their sense of hearing to locate prey, avoid predators, choose migration routes, and to communicate across long distances. The noise associated with seismic surveys can affect the ability of these animals to detect natural underwater sounds, thereby disrupting these critical activities. Numerous scientific studies have solidified what Eskimo subsistence hunters have known for years: that whales avoid expansive areas where seismic surveys are being conducted. One recent study showed that fallmigrating bowhead whales in the Beaufort Sea were displaced from an area within 12 miles of the seismic source and began to show avoidance behavior up to 21 miles away. Researchers have also observed signs of physical stress such as startle responses in humpback whales while seismic surveys were being conducted many miles away. INLETKEEPERS SOLUTIONS F
