cMB FUTURE SCIENCE BRIEF 
Foreword 
With all due respect to Commander Cousteau, the Ocean is not “Le monde 
du silence” (the silent world). Actually, sound propagates particularly well 
underwater and the deep world of the Ocean is traversed by a multitude of 
natural and anthropogenic sounds. Underwater noise has been a topic of 
interest and concern within research circles for several decades. However, it 
has gained less traction in policy and public awareness compared to more 
tangible and visible pollutants such as plastics. Marine organisms rely on 
sound to understand the world around them, and the potential effect of 
external sources of noise is therefore significant. However, some external 
sources of noise are unavoidable if we want to develop our Blue Economy 
and for research activities that advance our understanding of marine 
environments and ecosystems. It is therefore important that we further 
develop our understanding of this topic, including its complexities and 
subsequent compromises. It can then be applied to the development of 
appropriate and proportionate mitigation and regulation of underwater noise. 
In 2008, the European Marine Board published its first Position Paper on underwater noise, specifically in relation to 
marine mammals. Since then, research in and regulation of underwater noise has advanced and expanded significantly. 
For this reason, in 2019 the EMB approved the establishment of a new Working Group tasked with revisiting underwater 
noise and providing an update on this topic. They were also asked to highlight priority areas for further research and 
development to ensure that we can achieve the requirements of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive and its 
noise-related Descriptor of Good Environmental Status. The Working Group kicked off in June 2020 in the midst of the first 
COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, and despite never having met in person, they have delivered an informative document 
which addresses these requirements. 
With the Horizon Europe Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030’ and the UN Decade of Ocean Science for 
Sustainable Development (2021-2030) both highlighting underwater noise as a topic of interest, this publication and its 
recommendations are particularly timely and relevant. 
On behalf of the EMB members, | would like to thank the members of the EMB Working Group on Underwater Noise 
(Annex I) for their hard work and dedication in producing this Future Science Brief. | would also like to thank the external 
reviewers for their valuable input. I thank the EMB Secretariat for their work in supporting the working group and 
coordinating the production of this document, namely Paula Kellett, Rebecca van den Brand, Britt Alexander, Ängel Muhiz 
Piniella, Ana Rodriguez, Sheila Heymans and Jana Van Elslander. Finally, | would like to thank Amy Dozier, Kathrin Kopke, 
and the JONAS and SATURN projects for their support in designing and producing the infographics that are included in 
this document. 
Gilles Lericolais 
Chair, European Marine Board 
Sctober 2021