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
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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/
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