The Italian representation of the WWF commented in a statement the results of a study by that organization and included in the report ‘Anthropic noise at sea, bearable for man, harmful to cetaceans,’ in which it calls on institutions to reduce and control sound emissions in that region.

In that sense, it mentioned the pollution resulting from activities such as nautical traffic, seismic research, sonars, oil and gas platforms, and offshore wind installations, which have serious consequences for whales, dolphins and other marine mammals, including being forced to leave the area and losing hearing sensitivity as a result of acoustic trauma, the severity of which depends on the duration and intensity of the exposure.

‘It is now clear that saving cetaceans in the seas of the world depends on a number of important factors, including our ability and desire to reduce noise pollution, starting with the development of a standard, non-existent today,’ WWF Italy President Donatella Bianchi said.

She stressed the need for comprehensive monitoring programs to update the preservation of cetaceans, fill gaps in knowledge about deficient data and identify critical areas for marine mammals inhabiting Italian seas.

All eight species of cetaceans present in the Mediterranean Sea are in critical condition, according to the International Union for the Preservation of Nature, even those on which information is insufficient are vulnerable or endangered, the statement said.

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