U.S. Navy Sued to Block Mid-frequency Sonar Harmful to Whales

[Judi Lynn]

S. Navy Sued to Block Mid-frequency Sonar Harmful to Whales

LOS ANGELES, California, October 19, 2005 (ENS) - Loud as a rocket launch, sonar used across the world’s oceans during testing and training by the U.S. Navy harms marine mammals in violation of U.S. environmental laws, claims a lawsuit filed here today in federal court by a coalition of conservation and animal welfare organizations.

Whales, dolphins and other marine animals could be spared injury and death with common sense precautions, but the Navy refuses to implement them, according to the lawsuit, brought by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Cetacean Society International, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the League for Coastal Protection, and Ocean Futures Society and its founder and president Jean Michel-Cousteau.
(snip)

The case follows a successful lawsuit by some of the same groups, settled two years ago, that blocked the global deployment of the Navy’s new low-frequency active sonar system, and restricted its use for testing and training to a limited area of the northwestern Pacific Ocean.

Marine mammals have sensitive hearing, and intense sonar blasts can disturb, injure, and kill them. Whales exposed to high-intensity mid-frequency sonar have repeatedly stranded and died on beaches around the world, some bleeding from the eyes and ears, with severe lesions in their organ tissue, the plaintiff groups point out.
(snip)

"The U.S. Navy could use a number of proven methods to avoid harming whales when testing mid-frequency sonar," said Fred O’Regan, President and CEO of IFAW, a co-plaintiff in the lawsuit. Protecting whales and preserving national security are not mutually exclusive. The American people deserve more of a can-do approach from the U.S. Navy," O’Regan said.
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http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/oct2005/2005-10-19-07.asp

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. The perps should be forced to spend a month at home with

Peg Bundy just to see what it's like.... really they should.

[file83]

2. It's about TIME!!! This is an important development. Great post.

:yourock:

[anotherdrew]

3. they won't be satisfied 'til the oceans are nothing but dead brine

this isn't 'sonar' as far as I'm concerned, what happens to sub based passive sonar operators when one of these things goes off? won't it blow their ears out? I wouldn't be surpised if the idiots developing this haven't thought of that. Also, wouldn't somehting emmiting thatm uch noise make a great target for "stealth cruise torpedos"?

[belab13]

4. I think we should put the developers of this fine technology

in the water (with scuba gear) while its being tested, to demonstrate how benign it is to the creatures of the sea.

f**King humans should be ashamed

[Nihil]

8. Excellent suggestion!

Developers, designers, purchasers and operators - every single one.

[cwydro]

5. many dolphins

died in the Keys earlier this year...immediately following a sub's maneuvers...they admitted using sonar...horrible. It is criminal.

[EuroObserver]

6. Good. Not losing sight of this issue

over here. Same approach needs to be taken in relation to all NATO active sonar. Then the whole world's (at UN).

This violates International Maritime Law also, I believe.

There have been many whale and dolphin deaths in the Canary Islands following NATO naval excercises in the area.

[pinniped]

7. Don't they know in times of terra national security outweighs...

everything and everybody?:crazy:

I hear the Taliban is almost ready to christen their TALSSBN subs, which are equivalent to our ballistic missile Ohio Class subs.