ANIMAL
PETITIONS

Travelling five times faster in water than in air, sound is the most effective means for marine life to sense their surroundings and communicate across the ocean's vast and dark expanse. But the naturally occurring songs, clicks and whistles that marine mammals rely on are being drowned out by the thunderous rumble of ships, deafening seismic blasts from seabed oil and gas extraction and exploration, and the increasing roar of marine construction.

Underwater noise pollution settles like a thick layer of smog over the musical notes of marine life, jeopardizing their survival.

Human-made noise impairs the ability of whales to communicate with each other and makes it harder for species to navigate, hunt and avoid danger. Whales can become separated from their calves and pods if they are unable to hear each other's calls. Loud sources of underwater noise may also damage animals' hearing, putting them at increased risk of ship strikes that can cause blunt force trauma or death.

In some parts of the ocean, underwater noise has doubled in less than a decade because of increases in shipping traffic. Yet noise pollution has largely gone unchecked and will get worse with the expansion of industrial activities in Canada's oceans.

The federal government knows underwater noise pollution is a threat to marine life and promised a first draft of an Ocean Noise Strategy in 2021, and then by the end of 2022. Now, with several whale populations swimming towards extinction, time is running out.

Canada must take meaningful, measurable and urgent action today to turn down the volume in our ocean. Please raise your voice for quiet oceans by calling on the federal government to release a strong Ocean Noise Strategy now.

The louder we get, the more we can do to reduce underwater noise pollution.