Dolphin Smile

A federal court in California has imposed the strongest ever protections for whales against an onslaught of military sonar. The new controls are the result of an NRDC lawsuit that demanded the navy rein in its deadly sonar before beginning two years of manuevers near the channel islands- home to five endangered species of whales. The navy itself estimates that booming sonar would harass or harm marine mammals some 170,000 times and cause permanent injury or death in more than 400 cases.

U.S. District judge Florence-Marie Cooper said the Navy’s existing plan for protecting marime mammals was “grossly inadequate” and has ordered the navy to put a series of precautionary measures in place to protect the whales.

The navy cannot use it’s damaging mid-frequency sonar within 12 miles of the coast of California, a zone that is heavily used by migrating whales and dolphins, and cannot use sonar in the catalina basin, an underwater canyon with a high density of whales. Also, if any marine mammal is spotted within 2,200 yards of the ship the navy will have to shut down the sonar. 

In the wake of this landmark victory please help NRDC build nationwide opposition to a separate planthat would put a sonar range right next to a key migratory route for endangered whales by clicking here: www.nrdcactionfund.org/whales_nc_tell_friends