Revisions to the sound exposure guidelines for fish and sea turtles report

Abstract

Anthropogenic underwater sounds can impact aquatic life. Adherence to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) requires a risk assessment of the potential effects from underwater noise. Procedures for evaluating the risk to marine mammals (MMPA) are increasingly sophisticated, and quantitative science-based criteria for mammals were published in 2007 by Southall et al. The need for equivalent criteria for fishes and sea turtles (ESA and MSA) led to the creation of our expert working group co-led by Professors Arthur Popper and Richard Fay, pillars in the USA for everything fish. While Professor Tony Hawkins, a pillar in the EU for everything fish, brought his own unique perspectives and broad expertise of fish hearing studies and sound exposure. The results from our working group are described from its inception in 2004 to the 2014 publication of its findings as an ANSI/ASA report. The report determined broad sound exposure guidance based on the best available scientific information for fishes and sea turtles in a series of tables specific to a sound source. It is important to maintain current information and portions of the tables have recently been revised.