Sea blockade aims to
stop sonar testing

A coalition of activists who fear
for the whales will demonstrate in
waters off the Big Island today

By Harold Morse
Star-Bulletin

A coalition of conservation groups, boaters and whale-watch operators planned a high seas blockade of a Navy underwater sonar test today in waters off the Big Island.

Greenpeace and other organizations object to what they call the Navy's "sound of death" acoustic experiment that opponents say is harmful to whales.

"These underwater transmissions can be lethal to humpback whales, dolphins and even human beings," said Ben White, animal activist for the Animal Welfare Institute.

White is coordinating intervention actions.

"These 'sound of death' underwater acoustic transmissions can greatly harm marine life and Hawaii's ocean economy," said Michael Bailey, Greenpeace Hawaii director.

Navy biologists, scientists and sailers are off the northwest coast of the Big Island testing the effect of low-frequency sounds on male whales.

The 30-day experiment went ahead after a federal court judge Tuesday refused to block the testing. Environmental groups seeking to block the experiment through court action failed to prove the tests would harm the whales, the ruling said.

The Navy uses the sound technology to track silent submarines. It says it is carrying out the tests to make sure whales are not harmed by the underwater activity.