Navy told to do more to protect whales

[question everything]

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Navy told to do more to protect whales

By: JOE BECK - Staff Writer
(North San Diego County Times)

The Navy appears to be balking at restrictions on sonar training approved by the California Coastal Commission in response to worries about the effects of sonar noise on whales and other marine mammals in the waters off Camp Pendleton. The conflict centers on mounting evidence that intense underwater noise from sonar testing hurts sea creatures and the Navy's insistence that training sailors to operate sonar is vital to national security.

Alternative training sites lack the advantages of the Southern California coastal waters, said Capt. Matt Brown, a spokesman for Navy Region Southwest based in San Diego. Brown said the presence of a naval base in San Diego and the similarity of the coast to many places where the Navy might operate during a war make it preferable to other areas, many of which also teem with marine mammals.

(snip)

The new restrictions limit the Navy to lower sonar noise levels, call on naval vessels to steer clear of migrating whales wherever possible and to cut sonar power in conditions of limited visibility.

Environmentalists have hailed the 8-1 vote by the commission earlier this month as a victory in their efforts to curb sonar noise during training exercises, but Navy officials remain far from satisfied with the outcome. Commission staff members said they received a letter from the Navy last week calling for another meeting with the commissioners to settle their objections to the rules.

Navy officials had told the commission after the vote that they could not comply with the regulations until they received approval from the Secretary of the Navy. Brown said the secretary's evaluation is "not unusual for any kind of situation where there could be an impact on the entire service."

(snip)


http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01/22/news/top_stories/12107192422.txt

[BikeWriter]

1. Hmm, I know good and well the navy could tweak..

the power on their equipment to a minimum, or jack it up to blast whales to the moon.

[northofdenali]

2. Agreed, BW. I'm not sure how the damage done by the sonar

would compare to the wholesale whale hunting still carried out by several nations, though. I'd almost rather see our efforts go in that direction. We have a permitted whale hunt by Alaska Natives (Inupiaq and Yupik, mostly); it's a subsistence tradition that, annually, may net 2 whales. These hunts I will not complain about. It's the "delicacy" type hunting (Japan, et al) that I really object to.

BTW, what's the name of your book and where can I get a copy? I'm a rider, too (01 Roadstar Midnight Star); lots of touring and camping up here. (see www.mctourer.com) :hi:

[BikeWriter]

3. Yep, I've read about the tribes trying to save their traditions...

I haven't published that book or the other two I've written, I'm still editing them. I have posted excerpts on our Writer's Group, but not of that book. If I had the money to self publish it I think it would sell in cycle shops and at runs.

[northofdenali]

4. There are so few well-written, current books -

although Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance remains a classic!

Keep us updated - I can guarantee a number of DU buyers (not just riders, either)!

[BikeWriter]

5. I really should post at least one chapter of that book here...

I may look through it to see if there is a good representative chapter.

[northofdenali]

6. Please do!

If not in GD, there are 2 book forums as well. DU'ers are nothing if not excellent writing critics.

[BikeWriter]

7. They've treated me kindly thus far. My books are more for...

the casual reader than the critic. :-)