US Navy Agrees to Limit Sonar Exercises
In a landmark federal settlement with environmental groups, the U.S. Navy agrees to limit low-frequency active sonar to prevent harming whales and other sea creatures. The settlement bans the Navy from utilizing the sonar testing in the Pacific Ocean in areas known to be prime whale breeding grounds and important habitats. It also limits testing seasonally and in coastal areas. The Navy insists that the sonar testing is essential to train its sailors to detect ultra-quiet submarines being developed in countries such as North Korea and Iran. Scientists say that the sonar damages the hearing organs of sea creatures, disrupts their lives, and causes some whales to beach themselves on shores. The Navy can train in areas where whales are not common.
Tags: breeding grounds, Pacific Ocean, Sonar exercises, U.S. Navy, whales
