On the Need for Standardized Bioacoustical Terminology
The adoption of well-defined terminology is an essential prerequisite for making progress towards the monitoring and reduction of underwater radiated noise from vessels. Using standardized terminology is particularly important for international policy, yet many terms currently in use in research and policy documents lack clear and harmonised definitions — which may lead to confusion at best, and misunderstanding at worst.
Currently, there are two existing international acoustical terminology standards that provide a basic lexicon to facilitate effective communication between stakeholders, and create a firm foundation for the development of standards specific to bioacoustics.
Learn more about the two existing international acoustical terminology standards here:
However, the current absence of international standards for the field of aquatic bioacoustics, hinders the ability of researchers and governments around the world to address this global issue.
in this policy brief, SATURN urgently recommends the adoption of existing international terminology standards and the development of standardized and agreed-upon terminology to facilitate effective communication, a pre-requisite for monitoring and mitigation efforts worldwide.
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