Subject: Immediate Action is Needed: LFA Sonar Threat Resurfaces!
It is once again time to speak up for the whales, dolphins, and all marine life affected by ocean noise pollution! The U.S. Navy has initiated the process to expand its Low Frequency Active (LFA) Sonar program. Despite the current injunction in place due to Natural Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC’s) federal lawsuit, the Navy wants to double the number of LFA sonar systems in use.
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has proposed issuing the Navy an "incidental take" permit -- "take" being a technical, legal term for
kill, harass, and/or interfere with their behavior, which are all prohibited by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) unless NMFS issues a permit.
WE NEED HUNDREDS OF LETTERS AND E-MAILS OPPOSING LFA SONAR AND THIS PERMIT!
There is a short public comment period -- Comments are due (postmarked by) October 30, 2006.
Comments can be mailed to:
P. Michael Payne, Chief
Permits, Conservation and Education Division
Office of Protected Resources
National Marine Fisheries Service
1315 East-West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3225
Despite the growing concern being expressed by many governmental and scientific bodies such as the Scientific Committee of the International
Whaling Commission and the United Nations Law of the Sea deliberations, the Navy is once again proposing that LFA Sonar by used in the majority of the
world’s oceans.
As one of the loudest human-generated underwater noises, LFA Sonar has the potential to damage marine life. Since low frequency sound travels thousands
of miles underwater the geographic area affected will be quite large.
Please take a moment and write to NMFS, and in your own words, please state why you are opposed to the widespread use of LFA Sonar that the Navy is
proposing. In your letter or postcard, please reference:
Federal Register Notice I.D. 062206A; Vol. 71, No. 188; September 28, 2006.
The following points may be helpful in forming your own comments:
• By the Navy’s own admission, LFA Sonar can harm marine mammals.
Therefore, the Navy should be seeking alternative solutions, as well as reducing the dependence on this dangerous technology.
• Military active sonar has been responsible or coincident with mass strandings of marine mammals globally. A precautionary approach, which limits the use of LFA Sonar, should be adopted, rather than the proposed expansion to double the number of U.S. Navy ships equipped with LFA Sonar.
• Evidence is growing that fisheries are also seriously damaged by intense sources of underwater noise, potentially harming a major world food source
and threatening global sustainability.
• The Navy is requesting the ability to use LFA Sonar in most of the world’s oceans. After rigorous scientific review and extensive public comment, the
courts restricted testing and training of LFA Sonar to a limited area in the Pacific. This restriction should be maintained.
• A healthy ocean is necessary to maintain national security and global stability. Therefore, we must not compromise the marine environment with any
additional ocean noise pollution.
• There is insufficient scientific evidence to support that a 180-dB sound pressure level in “offshore biologically important areas” would not be
harmful to marine mammals and other marine life. Instead, the 145-dB SPL should be mandated in all sensitive areas, including known recreational and
commercial dive sites.
Thank you for writing!
Sincerely,
Ingrid Overgard
Program Director
1062 Fort Cronkhite
Sausalito, CA 94965
Phone (Direct): 415-229-9354
Phone (Main): 415-229-9366
Fax: 415-229-9340
Email: ingrid@seaflow.org
www.seaflw.org
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