Anthropogenic underwater noise: A review on physiological and molecular responses of marine biota.

The detrimental effects of anthropogenic underwater noise on marine organisms have garnered significant attention among scientists. This review delves into the research concerning the repercussions of underwater noise on marine species, with specific emphasis on the physiological and molecular responses of marine biota. This review investigates the sensory mechanisms, hearing sensitivity, and reaction thresholds of diverse marine organisms, shedding light on their susceptibility to underwater noise disturbances. The physiological and molecular effects of anthropogenic underwater noise on marine biota include oxidative stress, energy homeostasis, metabolism, immune function, and respiration. Additionally, changes in the gene expression profile associated with oxidative stress, metabolism, and immunological response are among the responses reported for marine biota. These effects pose a threat to animal fitness and potentially affect their survival as individuals and populations.

Sharing the waters: Application of a marine spatial planning approach to conserve and restore the acoustic habitat of endangered beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in and around the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park.

Anthropogenic underwater noise degrades the quality of whale habitats, affecting vital functions which may compromise the recovery of species at risk exposed to chronic vessel-based activities. The endangered St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) lives downstream from industrial activities in a highly accessible coastal environment. Many approaches were deployed in the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park to address the issue of cohabitation between whales and vessels. Place-based conservation measures aimed at protecting and restoring the tranquility of key areas of SLE beluga critical habitat by managing vessel-based activities were implemented through a marine spatial planning approach. They involved protecting the quietness of the South Channel by avoiding rerouting shipping, establishing of a regulatory area closure in Baie Sainte-Marguerite and of a beluga conservation area without commercial whale-watching in the Upper SLE. Compliance monitoring show that these efforts are effective to enhance the protection and restoration of the acoustic habitat.