So what is Seismic blasting? Or sonar testing as it’s sometimes referred to.  Sonar or seismic testing is when large ships tow airguns that fire loud blasts into the ocean to detect fossil fuels, pockets of oil and gas on the ocean floor.

According to NOPSEMA (2019) seismic blasting has been occurring since the 1960s.

It has a deadly effect on Marine life; most especially whales and dolphins. At around 250 decimals, seismic blasting is 32 000 times louder than a jack hammer. These sound waves occur every 10-15 seconds 24/7 for months at a time. From 2014-2015 the average distance the sound travelled through Australian Oceans was 5000km2 .

Scientific evidence states that whales hearing is affected significantly, having a detrimental effect on their overall wellbeing. With partial or entire deafness, whales struggle to communicate and navigate through song of which they depend on for survival. Furthermore, the harmful sound waves kill zooplankton including krill fish (Baleen whales staple source of food) within 1200m. Not only does this effect the whales but also the fish that feed on zooplankton. The disruption and depletion of the food chain over time is injurious to many marine species.
This cruelty has become so unbearable that it is thought to be the reason for more frequent mass beachings. With their inability to feed, communicate and navigate, life is becoming unbearable resulting in their last chance of peace; death. 

Below I have recounted a recent tragedy in Australia.

In Western Australia, Albany, July 2023 nearly 100 Long Finned Pilot Whales huddled together making their way to shore to beach themselves. Experts and volunteers successfully released approximately 45 whales back into deeper water only for them to huddle together and strand themselves yet again.  Cetacean Stranding (mass beaching) of the beaked whale species have been found to almost exclusively occur during seismic blasting. If this is the case for all whale and dolphin species it provides a reasoning for the Australian tragedy acknowledged above. Increased stress, illness and injury are closely linked to this phenomenon. Stress and Injury are also proved harmful side effects of seismic blasting on marine life further proving the direct link between cetacean stranding and seismic blasting