Colleagues, The final report from NOAA's 2007 international vessel-quieting symposium on quieting is now available at: <http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/acoustics/shipnoise.htm>. The suggested reference for this report is: /Southall, B. L. and A. Scholik-Schlomer. 2008. Final report of the// NOAA International Conference: "Potential Application of Vessel-Quieting Technology on Large Commercial Vessels," 1-2 May, 2007, Silver Spring, MD, U.S.A.**/ This meeting was instrumental in advancing the discussions and involvement of various industry, scientific, conservation, and other interests, both domestically and internationally. One of the recommendations, calling for engaging the International Maritime Organization on this issue, has come to fruition since the meeting; IMO now includes a formal correspondence group (chaired by the U.S.) on shipping noise and marine mammals. I would like to thank all the participants, speakers, and other contributors to this meeting, as well as the report co-author (Amy Scholik). Your efforts contributed to the success of the symposium, which will be seen as a critical step in the history of the important issue of how we address environmental impacts of incidental noise from large ships. There has been subsequent progress arising from this symposium in a collaborative meeting hosted by our colleagues at Okeanos -- Stiftung für das Meer (Foundation for the Sea), which is refered to within the report; they also assisted in supporting the 2007 symposium. Please let me know if I may provide any further information regarding progress since this meeting, particularly on continuing efforts within IMO. Sincerely, Brandon ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brandon L. Southall, Ph.D. Director, NOAA Ocean Acoustics Program National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Science and Technology 1315 East West Hwy, SSMC III #12539 Silver Spring, MD 20910-6233 Brandon.Southall@noaa.gov 301-713-2363 x163 (office) 301-713-1875 (FAX) http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/acoustics/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~