Scientists to research on noise impact to marine life

Marine scientists and representatives from the private sector and military establishments would meet at UNESCO at the end of this month to measure noise's impact on marine life, the Paris-based UN scientific branch UNESCO said Friday. The main agenda of the meeting, which is due from Aug. 30 to Sep. 1, was to discuss the program of the International Quiet Ocean Experiment (IQOE). "This decade-long project aims to fill the considerable knowledge gaps in this area, so that management of ocean noise can be more informed and effective," UNESCO said in a statement. The Quiet Ocean Experiments was initiated against the background that human activities on the high seas have increased significantly in recent decades, and resulted in impact upon many marine species relying mainly on sound to communicate. However, some sounds are suspected to alter the behavior of marine animals. For example, several whale species have raised the volume of the squeaks, clicks and moans by which they communicate with each other. The experiment is organized by the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) and the Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans (POGO), of which UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) is a member.