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We're at COP28 to Save the Whale, Save the World.

We’re at COP28 to save the whale, save the world

Ed Goodall Ed is WDC's head of intergovernmental engagement. He meets with world leaders to...
Gray whales from drone.

We’re taking steps to uncover the mysteries of whales

Vicki James Vicki is WDC's protected areas coordinator, she helps to create safe ocean spaces...
We must protect our non-human allies. Image: Tom Brakefield, aurore murguet, johan63

We’re urging governments to protect all of our climate heroes – CITES

Katie Hunter Katie supports WDC's engagement in intergovernmental conversations and is working to end captivity...
The Natütama Foundation are dedicated to protecting endangered river dolphins. Image: Natutama

Guardians of the Amazon: protecting the endangered river dolphins

Ali Wood Ali is WDC's education projects coordinator. She is the editor of Splash! and KIDZONE,...
Amazon river dolphins. Image: Fernando Trujillo/Fundacion Omacha

Amazon tragedy as endangered river dolphins die in hot water

Ali Wood Ali is WDC's education projects coordinator. She is the editor of Splash! and KIDZONE,...
Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin © Mike Bossley/WDC

WDC in Japan – Part 3: Restoring freedom to dolphins in South Korea

Katrin Matthes Katrin is WDC's communications and campaigns officer for policy & communication in Germany...
Wintery scene in Iceland

Seeking sanctuary – Iceland’s complex relationship with whales

Hayley Flanagan Hayley is WDC's engagement officer, specialising in creating brilliant content for our website...
Whaling ship Hvalur 8 arrives at the whaling station with two fin whales

A summer of hope and heartbreak for whales in Icelandic waters

Luke McMillan Luke is WDC's Head of hunting and captivity. Now that the 2023 whaling season...

Making Noise About Making Less Noise

Yesterday (6/20/13) the Natural Resources Defense Council (“NRDC”), Earthjustice, the Center for Biological Diversity (“CBD”), and the Gulf Restoration Network (“GRN”) reached a landmark legal settlement that will pave the way for a quieter Gulf of Mexico. Acoustic harassment from deafening air-guns is a serious problem for vulnerable marine mammal populations in the Gulf. Producing a sound blast louder than almost any other man-made activity, save explosive devices, air-guns are used by industry to search for oil deposits beneath the sea floor. After this settlement, protections will be in place to lessen the potential impact caused by these devices. 

Whales usually are protected from this kind of acoustic harassment, because normally it would require approval under the Marine Mammal Protection Act to proceed. However, the federal government had been letting these surveys go unchecked until now. Initiated back in 2010 after the Deepwater Horizon tragedy, this litigation was aimed at protecting whales and dolphins that are already trying to recover from one environmental catastrophe. The settlement protects whales and dolphins in several ways. It requires that:

Additional protections be put in place while the government undertakes a programmatic review of the seismic exploration being done in the Gulf;
A prohibition to be put in place around biologically sensitive areas including DeSoto Canyon, a crucial piece of habitat for both sperm whales and Bryde’s whales;
A prohibition to be put in place in coastal waters during the primary calving season for bottlenose dolphins;
Mandatory minimum separation distances between surveys;
Extension of the government’s existing mitigation measures to the entire Gulf, and also include manatees as well;
Mandatory use of passive acoustic listening devices to help detect marine mammals present in the area;
A multi-year research and development project, which is to be undertaken by industry, and which requires them to develop an alternative to air-guns, known as marine vibroseis, that could substantially reduce the giant environmental impact created by these seismic surveys; AND
A Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (“BOEM”) evaluation of the new standards to ensure that air-gun surveys are not necessarily duplicative and that they will generate the least possible sound for any given project.

As an environmental law student, who hopes to one day make a career out of advocating for the whales and dolphins that grace our oceans, I know how much of an uphill climb environmental law can feel like. However, it is landmark decisions and settlements like this one that give me a renewed sense of drive and determination about a future in environmental advocacy. It is an all-important reminder that the legal system can work for all of us, including whales, and can one day help lead to a world where every whale and dolphin is safe and free.

Here is a graphic that I find rings true …