NOAA/NMFS had non-Government experts peer review its Draft Guidance for Assessing the Effects of Anthropogenic Sound on Marine Mammals: Acoustic Threshold Levels for Onset of Permanent and Temporary Threshold Shifts . Their peer review report is now available online here.
The current level of attention to marine sound issues is misguided. Over a dozen US regulatory agencies have staff dedicated to regulating marine sound emmisions from human activities. The leading agency on this topic – NMFS – has stated: “Researchers have studied captive odontocetes and pinnipeds exposed to strong sounds and there has been no documentation of temprary or permanent hearing damage in free-ranging marine mammals exposed to anthropogenic activities during realistic field conditions.”
Efforts by NOAA and NMFS should be focused to address Shark Finning – a far greater threat to marine life:
Shark finning refers to the removal and retention of shark fins and the discard at sea of the carcass. The shark is most often still alive when it is tossed back into the water. Unable to swim, the shark slowly sinks toward the bottom where it is eaten alive by other fish.
Shark finning takes place at sea so the fishers have only the fins to transport. Shark meat is considered low value and therefore not worth the cost of transporting the bulky shark bodies to market.
Any shark is taken-regardless of age, size, or species.
Longlines, used in shark finning operations, are the most significant cause of losses in shark populations worldwide.
Shark finning is widespread, and largely unmanaged and unmonitored.
Shark finning has increased over the past decade due to the increasing demand for shark fins (for shark fin soup and traditional cures), improved fishing technology, and improved market economics.
Shark specialists estimate that 100 million sharks are killed for their fins, annually.
One pound of dried shark fin can retail for $300 or more. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry.
http://www.sharkwater.com/education.htm