Whale Communication Disrupted by Growing Noise Pollution in Norway’s Vestfjorden, Warns Biologist Dr. Heike Vester

Dr. Heike Vester, a biologist studying marine life in Vestfjorden, Norway, uses recordings to highlight the increasing impact of noise pollution on whales. From her home near the Arctic Circle, she plays back sounds captured by hydrophones, where the noise of boat engines and seismic airguns dominates the natural sounds of whales.

Seismic airguns, used in oil and gas exploration, create blasts so loud they can travel vast underwater distances, severely disrupting whale communication. These disturbing sounds drown out the calls of whales, affecting their ability to feed, communicate, and navigate their environment, with boat noise being particularly detrimental during whale-watching activities.

Vester’s research, conducted annually in Vestfjorden from April to October, involves spending hours on the water listening to the sounds beneath the surface. Her recordings reveal a growing presence of noise pollution from various sources, including cruise liners, cargo ships, oil exploration, and military activity. She notes that noise pollution is not just a temporary disturbance; it has transformed the underwater soundscape into one that is increasingly dominated by human-made sounds.

Whales, which rely on echolocation and vocalizations to navigate and hunt in the dark waters, are severely impacted. The constant noise “blinds” their sensory organs, making it nearly impossible for them to detect prey or communicate with one another.

The negative effects of this growing noise pollution on marine life are well-documented. Studies have shown that the disturbance caused by seismic airguns can alter the behavior of marine species, including narwhals, who may struggle to forage effectively.

Furthermore, there is a theory that human-made underwater noise could contribute to mass strandings of whales, such as the one in Scotland in 2023 that led to the deaths of 77 pilot whales. Vester is particularly concerned about the impact on the social structure of whale populations, especially those like orcas, which live in complex matrilineal societies. She is fascinated by the complexity of their social behavior, which is reflected in their sophisticated vocal communication.

Aside from noise pollution, Vester also observes the impact of bycatch and pollution on marine life. She and her interns regularly encounter dead marine animals, including a young harbour porpoise killed in fishing nets. Vester’s organization, Ocean Sounds, has been documenting the impact of environmental threats on marine life since 2005.

Over the past two decades, noise pollution in Vestfjorden has become significantly worse, with little respite from the continuous activity of ships, boats, and industrial operations. This growing noise pollution now permeates the fjord day and night, affecting marine species even during the summer months when the sun never sets.

Vester’s work has highlighted the global concern over increasing human activity in the oceans. The rise in interest in deep-sea mining could exacerbate these challenges, potentially extending the reach of noise pollution and damaging marine ecosystems even further. Seismic airgun surveys, which are part of oil and gas exploration, already pose a direct threat to marine food chains.

The airguns produce shockwaves that kill zooplankton within a 1.2-kilometer radius, creating “death zones” where vital marine organisms are destroyed. This disruption to the food web impacts species that depend on plankton, including the endangered blue whale.

Despite these challenges, Vester has observed a surprising increase in blue whale sightings in the North Atlantic, including in Vestfjorden. Blue whales, once on the brink of extinction due to hunting, have been returning to their traditional feeding grounds since being protected in 1966.

Vester was astonished when she spotted a blue whale in the fjord in 2022, something she never expected to witness. While this is a positive development, she remains concerned about the unseen threats, such as noise pollution and seismic activity, that still threaten the survival of this species.

Vester advocates for immediate measures to reduce noise pollution, such as limiting the number of boats in whale habitats and developing quieter vessels. Unlike plastic or chemical waste, noise pollution can be addressed quickly by simply turning off engines and reducing human activity.

While government regulations protect some parts of Vestfjorden from commercial activities like oil exploration, Vester argues that noise from these activities still affects the fjord’s ecosystem. She calls for a more proactive approach to safeguarding marine life from the growing threat of noise pollution, urging the implementation of effective policies to protect these vulnerable species.