The preservation and wellbeing of the whale populations that migrate and congregate around Australia’s coastline is of considerable public interest. Its importance is emphasised by the fact that whale populations migrate annually through key Defence offshore exercise areas on the east and west coasts.
The Defence Maritime Activities Environmental Management Plan (MA EMP) procedures relating to sonar operations have embedded the results of sonar modelling and assessments conducted over a significant period of time to provide the best guidance to ADF sonar operators.
The MA EMP contains comprehensive instructions to RAN Command and ADF vessels on the potential environmental impacts of sonar operations, and include effective strategies for environmental risk mitigations. Clear operating parameters are provided, including provisions for operating sonar such that the potential impact on marine fauna is minimised. Examples of these provisions include, but are not limited to:
- Consideration of known habitat zones;
- Consideration of migrating locations during migrating seasons;
- Consideration of marine protected areas and their management objectives;
- Preference to operate in clearly defined exercise zones; and
- Requirements for lookouts to check for marine fauna, including visual and passive acoustic means, before and during sonar activities.