Transmitting data with water as the medium is called underwater communication. Electromagnetic signals are better attenuated in water than sound. Hence it is the most reliable and versatile means of communication underwater. The acoustic signals will be affected by ocean driven noise during transmission. Ambient noise is the background noise which has to be subtracted from the acoustic signal for smooth transmission. Hence the recognition and reduction of ambient noise is the essential part of underwater signal transmission. Studies and research are being carried out extensively in this area. There are many works reported and the research is still in progress. This literature survey presents the work done on the research front of ambient noise affecting acoustic signals.