Welcome
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Abstract submission is a two-stage process. First, we ask that anyone wanting to present at the meeting submit a title and very short description of their proposed presentation. This MUST BE DONE by December 15, 2009. We will then review the proposed titles and select as many as we can for the program. Those accepted (we anticipate most) will be notified by Feb. 1 and you will then have to submit a full abstract. For more information and to submit your title please go OUR SUBMISSION PAGE CLICK HERE.
To register for the meeting and submit a request for financial support CLICK HERE. Registration must be completed in order to be considered for financial aid. For more about financial aid go to our FINANCIAL AID page.
We are organizing the Second International Conference on the topic of sound and aquatic life. The first conference, on the Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life, was held in Nyborg, Denmark in August 2007. It brought together more than 250 scientists, regulators and industry representatives from over 40 countries for discussions on how to address the potential impacts of underwater noise. The proceedings of the conference were subsequently published in a special issue of Bioacoustics. (Hawkins, A., Popper, A. N., and Wahlberg, M. (eds.) (2008). International Conference on the Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life. Bioacoustics, 17:1-350.)
The Second International Conference on the Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life will take place in Ireland August 15-20, 2010. As before, the main emphasis of the conference will be on defining the current state of knowledge. However, we will also assess progress in the three years since the First conference. The Second conference will place strong emphasis on recent research results, the sharing of ideas, discussion of experimental approaches, and analysis of regulatory issues.
The premise of these meetings is that sound is important for many aquatic organisms, including marine mammals, fish, and some invertebrates. Sound is used for communicating, navigating, seeking out prey and avoiding predators. Hearing is an everyday sense, detecting the many changes that are taking place around the animal. The goal of the conference is to draw together new knowledge on the importance of underwater sound to animals and to the effects of sounds upon them, whether those sounds occur naturally, are made by the animals themselves, or result from human activities.
A wide range of sources of underwater sound will be considered at the conference, including those generated by explosions, ships, seismic exploration, offshore construction, sonars of various types, acoustic deterrent devices and of course sounds made by aquatic animals themselves.
We intend that a wide range of interests will be brought together by the conference and we hope to encourage discussion of the impact of underwater sound, its regulation, and mitigation of its effects.
An Advisory Committee will provide direction and assistance in developing the program for the conference.
As with Nyborg, we would intend to publish a volume of extended abstracts in an issue of a scientific journal or in a book.