The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's decision lifts a 30 year ban on the practice of using sonic cannons along the Atlantic coast. That ban was in place for a reason. According to the Department of the Interior's own estimates, the use of sonic cannons to explore the Atlantic shelf for oil and gas would injure and disrupt up to 138,200 marine mammals. These impacts would include injuries and disturbances to critically endangered species, like the North Atlantic right whale, of which less than 500 remain. The impact will be felt by Atlantic fisheries as well, when stocks are depleted due to the disruptions caused by sonic cannons. This is a flawed plan and should be stopped immediately.
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