Passive Acoustic Research at NEFSC

Marine mammals and many fishes are highly adapted for producing and perceiving sound in the ocean. In an environment where vision is limited, hearing has become one of the most important senses. These animals rely on sound for many purposes, such as navigating, maintaining social interactions, establishing dominance, attracting mates, avoiding predators, and finding food.

The Passive Acoustic Research group at NEFSC is interested in understanding the sounds these animals make, on a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Ultimately, we seek to evaluate the impacts of various human-produced sounds on acoustically sensitive marine mammals, to aid in management, education and conservation efforts.