Dear colleagues, We are pleased to share our new paper, now published in Marine Pollution Bulletin: AIS-based noise models underestimate vessel noise exposure risk to marine mammals Laia Rojano-Doñate, Peter T. Madsen, Dominik A. Nachtsheim, Jakob Tougaard & Jonas Teilmann Using animal-borne GPS and sound-recording biologging tags (DTAGs) on 13 wild harbour porpoises across the Skagerrak, Kattegat and Belt Sea, we show that more than 60% of on-animal vessel noise exposures above 90 dB re 1 µPa (at 16 kHz) could not be attributed to AIS-tracked vessels within 4 km, in both shallow coastal and major offshore shipping lane environments. Key findings include:
* AIS-based noise models systematically underestimate true exposure rates, and this limitation seems structural rather than habitat-specific. * Pilot boats cause disproportionately frequent noise exposures relative to their low presence (~3% presence, ~15% of exposures). * Porpoises appear to maintain greater distances from fast-moving, loud vessels, resulting in received levels comparable to those from slower vessels, suggesting vessel-type-specific avoidance behaviour. * Integrated monitoring frameworks combining AIS with passive acoustic monitoring, radar and on-animal tags are needed to capture the full spectrum of vessel activity. These results have direct implications for noise risk mapping and progress assessments under the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The paper is freely available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X26012567 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2026.120469 Best wishes, Laia Rojano-Doñate, on behalf of all co-authors -------------------------------------------- Laia Rojano-Doñate, Assistant Professor, Marine Bioacoustics Lab<http://www.marinebioacoustics.com/>, Department of Biology, Aarhus University MSCA Fellow, Goldbogen Lab, Oceans Department, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University Email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> / [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
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