Impact of small boat sound on the listening space of Pempheris adspersa, Forsterygion lapillum, Alpheus richardsoni and Ovalipes catharus

Abstract

Anthropogenic stressors, such as plastics and fishing, are putting coastal habitats under immense pressure. However, sound pollution from small boats has received little attention given the importance of sound in the various life history strategies of many marine animals. By combining passive acoustic monitoring, propagation modelling, and hearing threshold data, the impact of small-boat sound on the listening spaces of four coastal species was determined. Listening space reductions (LSR) were greater for fishes compared to crustaceans, for which LSR varied by day and night, due to their greater hearing abilities. Listening space also varied by sound modality for the two fish species, highlighting the importance of considering both sound pressure and particle motion. The theoretical results demonstrate that boat sound hinders the ability of fishes to perceive acoustic cues, advocating for future field-based research on acoustic cues, and highlighting the need for effective mitigation and management of small-boat sound within coastal areas worldwide.

Water Valuation in Urban Settings for Sustainable Water Management

“…The presence of boats along a shoreline has been observed to result in bank erosion. Additionally, the movement of boats through water has the potential to cause disturbance to the bed of the water body [99,100]. This disturbance can occur through direct contact or through the turbulence generated by the vessel's passage.…”