Navy Sonar Restricted Off Hawaii Coast

[unhappycamper]

Navy Sonar Restricted Off Hawaii Coast
Associated Press | March 01, 2008

HONOLULU - A federal judge has ordered the Navy to take additional precautions when conducting sonar exercises off Hawaii that environmentalists say can seriously injure or kill marine mammals.

U.S. District Judge David Ezra said Friday the Navy cannot conduct exercises within 12 nautical miles, or 13.8 miles, of the shoreline, where species that are particularly sensitive to sonar, such as the beaked whale, are found.

Among other requirements, the Navy must look for marine mammals for one hour each day before using sonar, employ three lookouts exclusively to spot the animals during sonar use and stop sonar transmission altogether when one of the mammals is within 500 feet.

It must also gradually increase its sonar power before beginning any exercise to allow animals to leave the area before they can be harmed.

The Navy faces a similar order in California, where a U.S. District Court judge in January issued an injunction that created a 12 nautical-mile no-sonar zone off Southern California.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,163130,00.html?wh=wh

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