SEASOUNDS aims to better characterize and predict marine soundscapes in various European eco-regions (e.g. parts of the Mediterranean and the Baltic Seas, the Venice Lagoon, the Norwegian fjords) where the scarcity of scientific data, upon which decisions are based, as well as the difficulties associated with sound field monitoring, processing and understanding, make underwater noise pollution poorly known and hence insufficiently regulated. One of the main goals of the project is to provide recommendations for appropriate and proportionate underwater noise mitigation solutions, for improved know-how, decision-making and standards setting for a sustainable Blue Growth limiting the impact of noise pollution on marine wildlife. SEASOUNDS aims to have a strong impact on society also by raising awareness among the general public, and more specifically young public, on a form of pollution often underrated or overlooked.
SEASOUNDS addresses important knowledge gaps related to understanding, characterization and modeling of the entire noise transfer chain, from the noise source (e.g. offshore foundation installation, disposal of unexploded ordnance, shipping) to the receiver (whether a technological tool or an animal such as marine mammal, fish and invertebrate). Highly multidisciplinary, SEASOUNDS' methodological approach is built around the idea that, to address effectively these complex scientific gaps, we need to go beyond the classical underwater acoustics-related approaches and incorporate concepts, models, and tools from various scientific fields such as underwater acoustics, seismology, mechanics, bioacoustics, ecoacoustics and marine biology. The project also takes advantage of cutting-edge technologies developed in these fields, like optical cables deployed on the seabed allowing Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) data processing techniques based on Artificial Intelligence (AI), and High-Performance Computing (HPC).
