[QUOTE=Letum]
Quote:
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Originally Posted by The Avon Lady
"Why aren't they being employed?"
I don't know!
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Welcome to the US Navy's
Whales and Sonar website.
Now we can all get a slightly better idea of what's what.
EDIT: from the site's summary fact page:
Navy Marine Mammal Protection Efforts
The U.S. Navy exercises caution when operating in areas likely to
contain marine mammals. Efforts to minimize potential effects on
marine mammals include the following:
· Tracking historical trends of marine mammal populations in
geographic areas where our ships operate
· Utilizing software tools that help operators determine if an
operating area has any particular aspects that could lead to harming
a marine mammal. This allows ships and aircraft to analyze the
training area where a specific exercise will take place and then use
protective measures as appropriate.
· Scanning for animals with passive sonar, trained shipboard
lookouts and available airborne assets prior to commencing an
exercise. Navy lookouts are skilled in spotting small objects at sea
under all conditions.
· Reducing sonar levels to 25% of operating power if whales or
dolphins are detected within 450 yards of a Navy vessel's sonar
dome
· Ceasing use of active sonar if a marine mammal if detected within
200 yards of an active source