Revolutionizing Marine Conservation Through Existing Infrastructure
Scientists from the University of Washington are conducting groundbreaking research that could transform how we monitor and protect endangered marine species, according to reports. The team is repurposing underwater fiber-optic cables as sophisticated listening devices to track the movements and behaviors of endangered orcas in the Salish Sea, sources indicate.
Innovative Acoustic Technology Adaptation
The technology, called Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), was originally developed for monitoring pipelines and detecting infrastructure problems. Researchers are now adapting it to listen to ocean sounds, turning entire fiber-optic cables into continuous underwater microphones. Unlike traditional hydrophone systems that listen from single locations, DAS technology transforms the entire cable length into thousands of individual sensors, analysts suggest.
“We can imagine that we have thousands of hydrophones along the cable recording data continuously,” said Shima Abadi, professor at the University of Washington Bothell School of STEM and the University of Washington School of Oceanography, according to reports. “We can know where the animals are and learn about their migration patterns much better than hydrophones.”
Addressing Critical Conservation Challenges
The Southern Resident orca population that frequents the Salish Sea faces severe threats, with only approximately 75 individuals remaining, the report states. These endangered whales confront a triple threat: underwater noise pollution, toxic contaminants, and food scarcity primarily driven by declining Chinook salmon populations.
“We have an endangered killer whale trying to eat an endangered salmon species,” said Scott Veirs, president of Beam Reach Marine Science and Sustainability, an organization that develops open-source acoustic systems for whale conservation, according to sources. Since tracking began in 1984, Chinook salmon populations have declined by 60% due to habitat loss, overfishing, dams, and climate change, analysts suggest.
Real-Time Protection Capabilities
If successful, the DAS system could provide conservationists with real-time information to actively protect whales, the report states. For instance, if the system detects orcas heading toward busy shipping lanes, scientists could alert vessels like Washington State Ferries to postpone noisy activities or reduce speed until the whales pass safely.
“It will for sure help with dynamic management and long-term policy that will have real benefits for the whales,” Veirs stated, according to reports. The technology would also answer fundamental questions about orca behavior that have eluded scientists, including how their communication changes during different activities and how they coordinate hunting.
Global Implications for Ocean Monitoring
The potential applications extend far beyond the Salish Sea, with approximately 870,000 miles of fiber-optic cables already installed underwater globally, sources indicate. This existing infrastructure could be transformed into a comprehensive ocean monitoring network without requiring new cable installation.
“One of the most important challenges for managing wildlife, conserving biodiversity and combating climate change is that there’s just a lack of data overall,” said Yuta Masuda, director of science at Allen Family Philanthropies, which helped fund the project, according to reports. The timing coincides with the High Seas Treaty coming into force, which will allow for new marine protected areas in international waters.
Technical Implementation and Future Potential
The research builds on previous work conducted through the Ocean Observatories Initiative, where scientists successfully recorded low-frequency rumblings of fin whales and blue whales using existing telecommunications cables. However, orcas present a greater technical challenge because their clicks and calls operate at higher frequencies where the technology hasn’t been thoroughly tested.
According to researchers at the University of Washington Bothell, this approach represents a significant advancement in marine monitoring technology. The method could complement other emerging environmental technologies, similar to how recent perovskite solar breakthroughs and commercial-ready solar technology are transforming renewable energy, while AI investment continues growing and data center development faces infrastructure challenges in various regions.
As data begins flowing to shore-based computers, appearing as waterfall plots that visualize sound frequencies over time, researchers await the first orca vocalizations that will validate whether this innovative approach can deliver on its promise to help save an endangered species using infrastructure already in place beneath the waves.
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