NOAA/NMFS has developed draft guidance for assessing the effects of anthropogenic sound on marine mammal species under their jurisdiction. This draft guidance has already been peer reviewed and subject to public comment once.
According to NOAA/NMFS:
“the U.S. Navy recently (January 2015) provided NOAA with a technical paper describing their proposed methodology for updating auditory weighting functions and subsequent numeric thresholds for predicting auditory effects (TTS/PTS thresholds) on marine animals exposed to active sonars and other active acoustic sources utilized during Navy training and testing activities.
Upon evaluation, NOAA determined that the Navy’s proposed methodology reflects the best available science and are working to incorporate it into our Acoustic Guidance before it becomes final. Before doing so, an independent peer review (i.e., second peer review) of the Navy’s technical paper will be necessary, along with a subsequent additional public comment period (i.e., second public comment period.”
NOAA/NMFS further states:
“Estimated Peer Review Start Date: 7/5/2013
Review type: individual letters
Expected number of peer reviewers: 4-10
Peer reviewers will be selected by: a designated outside agency”
Click here for NMFS’ website discussing this additional peer review and public comment.
