OCEANOISE2026 DECLARATION: A Call for Immediate Action on Ocean Noise
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kristina Martz, ex******************@**mf.org
World Ocean Day – 8 June 2026
San Diego, CA | Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain – Representatives of science, industry, government agencies, civil society, and environmental organizations today issued a call for action to decision-makers worldwide to reduce human-generated underwater sound and vibration in the ocean.
The National Marine Mammal Foundation’s (NMMF) Director of Conservation Biology, Dr. Dorian Houser, underscores that many marine species rely on sound and vibration to communicate, navigate, find food, avoid danger, and understand the world around them. Noise disrupts this natural behavior endangering marine mammals, fish, corals, turtles, and more.
Dr. Houser was a keynote speaker at the OCEANOISE 2026 conference held in Spain on May 25-29, which brought together world-leading scientists, regulators, environmental advocates, and industry partners, including representatives from shipping and oil and gas, to discuss ways to reduce underwater noise at the source. OCEANOISE 2026 was hosted by the Laboratory of Applied Bioacoustics (LAB) of the Technical University of Catalonia. The NMMF announced that Dr. Houser was recently named to the OCEANOISE Scientific Advisory Committee, which made the international plea to reduce sound in the ocean.
During his keynote remarks at the conference, Dr. Houser highlighted NMMF’s research aimed at better understanding baleen whale hearing, including minke whale hearing studies, emphasizing that reducing ocean noise will take collaboration across science, policy, conservation, and industry.
The Scientific Advisory Committee’s recommendations address any activity, infrastructure, operation, or technology intended to operate in or affect the marine environment. Developers would be required to make an acoustic impact assessment mandatory from the earliest stages of design and planning. There is reason for optimism. Unlike many forms of pollution, ocean noise can be reduced quickly when sources are modified, mitigated, or turned off.
As part of this international effort, the NMMF is helping amplify the call for practical, science-based solutions that can reduce underwater noise and better protect marine life. A quieter ocean needs action. A quieter ocean starts with collaboration.
The call for action, which was released today in honor of World Oceans Day 2026, can be found here.
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About the National Marine Mammal Foundation
The National Marine Mammal Foundation (NMMF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the health and conservation of marine mammals and their ecosystems through science, service, and education. Through groundbreaking research, veterinary expertise, conservation initiatives, and STEM outreach programs, the NMMF works to protect marine life, support thriving coastal communities, and inspire future generations of ocean leaders.
