Deep sea mining noise poses harm to blue whales, scientists warn

Paper calls for assessment of impact of sound pollution on cetaceans before firms allowed to mine sea bed

Deep sea mining could be doing irreparable damage to blue whales and other rare marine creatures, scientists have warned.

A peer-reviewed paper published by the University of Exeter and Greenpeace Research Laboratories focuses on the overlap between cetaceans (such as whales, dolphins and porpoises) and target sites for deep sea mining, especially in the Pacific Ocean. The authors warn that urgent research is needed to assess threats to these mammals.