Sound in water

[Finnie]

I haven't come across much on fish being affected by noise-pollution. I do however, remember seeing a documentary on an Asian River Dolphin species (perhaps in the Yankzee River?) that was endangered and in danger of becoming extinct because it was having trouble navigating with all the ambient background noise. I think they were turning up dead a lot struck by boats, as although they could under normal conditions avoid boats, with all the ambient niose (noise pollution) they could no longer avoid them. You mightn't want to quote me on this though, I'm just drawing on strings of memory here!

I guess that brings into the equation their ability to hunt as well. I suppose this applies to other fish, especially those who are attracted to and use vibrations in the water to hunt.

Interesting to see if there is any definitive research in the area. I suspect large scale research on this would be confounded by a million other influencing impacts, and it would be difficult to separate the effects of noise pollution from other forms of pollution and fishing etc.

Cheers,
Finnie

[Maxg]

Well I guess in the Yangtzee which is mostly mud a dolphin would rely on sound to find anything at all and a high level of ambient noise would simple stuff him up.
But so far no-one that I can trace has looked at the Swan River noise levels, nor any other place on our coastline, Melbourne Port Phillip Bay, Sydney and the Harbour, Newcastle whatever. Seems strange in this day and age. But its just a query, I don't have time to go around dipping hydrophones, even it I wanted to. Max