The U.S. Navyhas fit in to limitthe function of underwater explosives and specific frequencies of asdic during training in sure sensitive areas to protect whales , dolphins , and other nautical mammals from the potentially damaging sound . The agreement is deemed a major success for environmental legal aid organizationEarthjustice , who have been fight back for this for more than a decade .
“ If a whale or dolphinfish ca n’t hear , it ca n’t survive,”explainsDavid Henkin , an attorney for Earthjustice . “ We take exception the Navy ’s plan because it would have unnecessarily harmed whales , dolphins , and endangered marine mammals , with the Navy itself estimating that more than 2,000 animals would be killed or permanently injured . ”
The conservation chemical group involve in the two cases that were bring against the Navy in Honolulu , Hawaii , claim that the mid - range frequency sonar and explosive used by the war machine during breeding exercises cause legal injury and dislocation to the whales and dolphins in the Pacific . Previous studies have shown how these high - intensity and mid - frequency sound can ride the blower to strand themselves , stop them from feed , or cause them to void favorable domain .
In fact , it was just earlier this year that a U.K. reportfinally concludedthat the Royal Navy was at once responsible for for the stranding of 70 whales in Scotland after the explosion of underwater bombs . “ This settlement proves what we ’ve been saying all along , ” sound out Marsha Green , president of Ocean Mammal Institute . “ The Navy can meet its training and testing need and , at the same sentence , furnish important trade protection to whales and dolphinfish by throttle the enjoyment of sonar and explosives in vital habitat . ”
The new opinion , handed down by the federal courtyard in Hawaii , willprohibit the Navyfrom using mid - frequency sonar or explosive on the compass north side of Maui , Hawaii , protecting the endangered monk seals and toothed whales that live there . It will also limit ship speeds across kyphosis whale habitats . In California , the Navy will not be give up to use echo sounder or explosives in an authoritative pick whale habitat between Santa Catalina and San Nicolas Island . Ships will also be slow up where blue hulk are feeding , and near blue , fin , and gray whale migratory route .
“ By agreeing to this settlement,”continuedHenkin , “ the Navy acknowledges that it does n’t need to civilize in every square inch of the sea and that it can take fairish steps to trim back the deadly toll of its action . ”
