RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Whale-watch vessel noise levels with applications to whale-watching guidelines and conservation
A1 Arranz Alonso, Patricia
A1 Aguilar de Soto, Natacha
A1 Madsen, Peter T.
A1 Sprogis, Kate R.
A2 Biología Animal y Edafología y Geología
A2 BIOECOMAC
K1 Cetacean
K1 Sustainable whale-watching
K1 Vessel source level
K1 Underwater noise
K1 Swim-with-cetaceans
AB The number and size of whale-watching and swim-with-cetacean vessels are increasing worldwide, but the noise impact on targeted species depends on vessel source characteristics, which remain largely unquantified. Here, we report the acoustic characteristics from 13 whale-watching vessels from Australia and Canary Islands. Acoustic recorders were deployed to measure the frequency-weighted sound levels (for low [LF], mid [MF] and high frequency [HF] cetacean hearing types) of motor sailing, catamarans, and motor vessels operating at 4–8 kn representing the slow speed of whale-watch scenarios. The highest estimated source levels (SLs) were recorded from large catamarans with inboard engines (LF = 160 ± 3, MF = 148 ± 2, HF = 146 ± 2 dB re 1 µPa m). The lowest SLs were from smaller motor vessels and particularly by a hybrid vessel powered by electrical outboard engines (LF = 140 ± 3, MF = 136 ± 2, HF = 134 ± 2 dB re 1 µPa m). We demonstrate that at the same speed and distance, different vessels may produce very different received levels to the animals. To reduce disturbance to cetaceans we recommend tourism vessels meet a broadband (0.2–10 kHz) SL limit of <150 dB re 1 µPa (RMS) when within 500 m of cetaceans.
YR 2021
FD 2021
LK http://riull.ull.es/xmlui/handle/915/40700
UL http://riull.ull.es/xmlui/handle/915/40700
LA en
DS Repositorio institucional de la Universidad de La Laguna
RD 26-abr-2025