Lead institution:
Universidad de Alicante – Spain
The SONORA project aims to deepen the knowledge about the relationship between particle motion and acoustic pressure field to evaluate the impact of both variables on fish. While most marine organisms, and in particular fish, detect sound primarily using particle motion, most of the studies performed up till now only address pressure field effects.
In the project, anthropogenic noise generated by ocean-based industries will be characterised numerically and experimentally. Particle motion relationship with pressure will be evaluated in situations beyond free field, considering shallow waters and reverberant environments. Knowledge about sources and sound propagation is the key for developing methodologies to evaluate noise impact on marine ecosystems.
The project will investigate noise impact on fish in marine aquaculture facilities, both in indoor tanks and offshore aquaculture cages. Noise effects on commercial aquaculture fish species will be considered, focusing on physiological impacts on early development larval stage, where very few studies have been undertaken. Not only commercial species, but also surrounding wild ecosystems around the cages will be considered. Based on the results and the knowledge acquired, risk matrices will be developed.
Lead Contact: Jaime Ramis Soriano (jramis@ua.es)