Marine Areas of Panama are Affected by Noise from Ships.

Contadora Island registered the highest levels of noise generated by vessels, present during 42.6% of the monitored hours, according to a study on marine noise pollution. The activity was concentrated mainly during the day, when it was detected for 74.5% of the hours, and was primarily related to recreational tourism, diving, and sport fishing. Iguana Island ranked second. 

Digna Barsallo, national director of Coasts and Seas, warned that whales and dolphins depend on sound to communicate and orient themselves, so the noise generated by human activities can alter their behavior, health and survival.  Claudio González, a marine resources specialist with the Sustainable Pacific project, indicated that the results of the study will serve as input for developing regional guidelines for responsible and sustainable whale watching in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. 

The proposed actions include maintaining and expanding acoustic monitoring, incorporating real-time sound into the monitoring of marine protected areas, and regulating maritime traffic in sensitive areas through speed limits and best practices for whale watching tourism and fishing.  Plans also include expanding the use of science and technology, including artificial intelligence, to automatically detect and analyze sounds. The results will also serve as a basis for promoting evidence-based marine policies, with the participation of governments, organizations, academia, and communities.