The effects of human‐generated sound on fish

Abstract

There is growing international concern about the effects of human-generated sound on fish and other aquatic organisms. However, because of a striking paucity of well-designed and controlled experimental data, very little is actually known about the effects of these sounds on fish. Findings suggest that human-generated sounds, even from very high intensity sources, might have no effect in some cases or might result in effects that range from small and temporary shifts in behavior all the way to immediate death. At this point, however, it is nearly impossible to extrapolate from results with one sound source, one fish species, or even fish of one size to other sources, species, or fish sizes. The present paper briefly discusses the potential effects of sound on fish, describes some of the more recent well-controlled experimental studies, and points out areas for future study that will be needed before a real understanding of the effects of sound on fish can be developed.

A noisy spring: the impact of globally rising underwater sound levels on fish

“…Peak-to-peak values in the amplitude waveform provide an alternative measure, but comparisons between peak-to-peak and RMS levels are difficult [96]. Recently, investigators have adopted another so-called Sound Exposure Level (SEL), which is an alternative measure reflecting the total acoustic energy received by an organism [13,14]. A final issue of critical importance for understanding underwater sound as it relates to fish is the presence of a substantial particle motion component in the aquatic sound field, along with pressure.…”

“…Although humans have engaged in all sorts of activities in, on, and near water bodies for a long time, only recently have these activities expanded in an increasingly noisy manner (Box 1). To date, underwater noise pollution has primarily attracted attention in the context of marine mammals [8][9][10], but it is increasingly recognized as a factor that may also have implications for fish [11][12][13][14].…”

Deep-Sea Fish Behavioral Responses to Underwater Vehicles: Differences Among Vehicles, Habitats and Species

“…Experimental manipulation of light, sound, and vehicle velocity, but possibly also the magnetic field, singly or in combination, might certainly assist to better understand the relative importance of these potential sources of disturbance (see also Stoner et al 2007). However, for full control of disturbance effects from UV's, one would also need to investigate the receiver bias and in particular the sensory equipment (Popper & Hastings 2009) and reaction norms (Tuomainen & Candolin 2010) which may differ considerably among fish species, populations, size classes, and ontogenetic stages. The longer the encounter with an UV the more increases the chance of interactions and evocation of disturbance responses.…”

Trial Test of Fish Attractor “Piknet” Device in Saltwater Fish Tank

“…Some types of proven are pikat, alpine and electrofish [3]. In international issue, people are concern to the effects of human-generated sound on fish and other aquatic organisms by the influence of human-generated voices on fish and other aquatic organisms [4].…”