Another whale project, still no solution

Re New project to protect endangered whales, Oct. 23

I absolutely appreciate the concern for the endangered orcas in the Salish Sea, but the efforts to embark on further research are unnecessary. There is no need to “gauge noise pollution created by marine vessels” as there are already countless studies and real-life situations where underwater noises created by marine vessels have seriously harmed aquatic mammals. In 2013, research revealed the connection between underwater naval exercises and the unusual mass strandings of whales and dolphins (Carrington 2013). Whales were seen to abandon feeding to rapidly swim away from the sonar noises. In 2017, studies showed that the noise pollution created from marine vessels resulted in the death of 125 dolphins; compared to 36 in 2016, and 14 in 2015 (Fernandez 2017).

I am no scientist so excuse my ignorance, but I think these examples, along with many others, should be enough evidence for us to move from research to designing quieter propellers. Instead of embarking on a four-year project of which “the results could inform the design of new, quieter propellers,” maybe efforts should be directed toward a fouryear project with the aim to design new propellers to lower noise pollution and hull vibration.

Dolman states, “there is an urgent need to re-evaluate the environmental impacts of (underwater) activities”; yet, here we are five years later still concerned with research. What more research needs to be done? I could only imagine how the orca-stra of noises must be so overwhelming for these endangered whales. Daphne Cardelli, King City