Whales Get Reprieve From Sonar

Ruling in federal court cuts near-shore access by navy during March exercises. Monitoring for presence of whales and stepping down sonar power also required.

It is only a partial victory but it is a step in the right direction for the whales of Hawaii. A federal judge has ruled that the Navy must restrict their use of sonar in the near-shore waters of Hawaii during their March training exercises. They must monitor for marine mammals and power down when any are present. Powering down is also required in places where it is likely to have an amplified effect.

What happens during these next exercises may help determine how much more the judge will be willing to protect the whales and dolphins who breed and feed in the ocean around the Hawaiian Islands. Judge David Ezra has put some fairly strong restrictions on Navy sonar activities based on evidence that marine mammal habitat should be avoided, having been shown to have negative effects on whales and dolphins.

With 26 species of marine mammals present in Hawaiian waters, including the endangered Hawaiian monk seal and a previous mass stranding following military exercises in Hanalei Bay, the ruling makes sense. It recognizes the damage sonar does to whales, dolphins and other marine life.

And it opens the door to further restrictions, as the judge will revisit the ruling after the March exercises. It is likely that the Navy will be on its best behavior this time but any adverse reactions by marine mammals will go hard against the Navy’s protestations of being good environmental stewards.

In the best case, there will be no incidents and the efforts of the many people involved in bringing the lawsuit will be well rewarded.