Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life: An Overview of the Berlin Conference

The “Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life” conference took place in Berlin, Germany, in July 2022, and the presentations have been revised to become the chapters for this book. The conference considered potential effects of anthropogenic sounds on aquatic species that ranged from whales, dolphins, seals, turtles, marine birds, fishes, and lesser-known taxa including zooplankton, mollusks, and seagrasses. It also considered the sources of the noises that might impact aquatic life and brought together researchers, regulators, industry, and environmental groups to consider, together, the potential impact of man-made sounds on aquatic life. Indeed, the meeting, as reflected in this book, brought together individuals and the latest ideas from a great variety of disciplines, ranging from biologists interested in behavioral and physiological effects of exposure to sound, to acousticians and engineers with an interest in the physics of underwater sound generation, to regulators and conservations groups concerned with the protection of aquatic life. Sessions at the meeting, as reflected in this book, included the measurement and management of underwater noise, an overview of the critical environmental issues related to offshore wind development as alternative sources of energy, and descriptions of changing soundscapes around the world. A social program was designed to encourage more leisurely discussions among the conference participants in order to facilitate networking and the strengthening of relationships among participants from academia, industry, and regulation. The feedback from conference delegates was very positive.