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Date Published: 13/05/2025

Listening to the deep: Mazarrón escarpment leads the way in fight against ocean noise

Cutting-edge marine project puts Murcia on the map in protecting whales and dolphins from noise pollution

A Murcia-based project is using cutting-edge science to understand and reduce the impact of marine traffic on whales and other vulnerable species. The Mazarrón escarpment, one of the western Mediterranean’s richest marine environments, is at the heart of a new scientific mission to protect whales and other sea life from the growing threat of underwater noise.

A research team from the Naval and Maritime Technology Centre (CTN) in Murcia is preparing to present its groundbreaking NOISEA project this week at the 36th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society, taking place from Tuesday May 14 to Thursday May 16 on São Miguel Island in the Azores.

The project tackles the growing problem of underwater noise pollution caused by maritime traffic, which is increasingly recognised as a serious threat to marine life.

Funded by the Institute for the Development of the Region of Murcia, and carried out in partnership with the Politecnico di Milano and the whale-watching firm Cetaceans and Navigation SL, NOISEA focuses on the Special Conservation Zone of the Mazarrón escarpment - a recognised hotspot for species like pilot whales, sperm whales, fin whales and Cuvier’s beaked whales, as well as turtles and seabirds.

Using acoustic mapping and ship tracking data, the researchers have been analysing how the noise created by passing vessels affects the behaviour and distribution of animals. According to Amalia Jurado McAllister, Head of Marine Pollution Management at CTN, “Through a rigorous study of the distribution of cetaceans in the Mazarrón Escarpment, together with the analysis of AIS data from vessels, we have been able to verify that, indeed, the distribution of these animals is very likely affected by the presence of vessels and therefore also by the underwater noise they generate.”

The work not only supports the protection of marine life, but also contributes to broader Sustainable Development Goals, in particular, SDG 14 (a UN target aimed at conserving oceans and marine resources, called Life Below Water), by promoting healthier marine ecosystems and sustainable coastal development in Murcia.

For the CTN, which is based in Fuente Álamo, it is another step forward in turning scientific knowledge into practical solutions. And for the Region of Murcia, it is a chance to lead on innovation in the growing field of marine sustainability.

Image: joakant/Pixabay

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