The past decades have seen a growing concern about the impact of human-generated (anthropogenic) sound on marine mammals. However, such underwater sounds may also have an impact on other marine organisms, including fishes. Not only might such sounds do the same types of damage to fishes as to mammals, but the impact of such damage may be rather great since fish make up a major part of the food chain for marine mammals, and humans. Depending upon the magnitude of the signal, there may be no impact on animals, or the impact may involve disruption of behavior, or even physical or physiological damage to the animals.

However, very little is known about the impact of high intensity sounds on fishes.

Moreover, little is also known about the effects of just a small increase in background noise on fish.

Our laboratory is involved in a wide range of studies on the effects of anthropogenic sounds on fishes.  The following links lead to these studies.

Effects of air-guns on the ears of fishes

Effects of seismic air-guns on fish hearing

Sensory hair cell loss as the result of high intensity pure tones

Increased background noise and fish hearing

LFA Sonar and Fish Hearing