Anthropogenic noise is a growing threat to marine life. The human interaction with the marine environment is entailing a continuous growth in the Ambient noise levels. This effect is particularly noticeable in shallow water areas which are characterized by concentrating a high level of activity in a wide range of fields such as fishing, tourism, sailing, and renewable energy generation.
The International Community is increasing concern on the effects of the acoustic pollution on marine life as reflected in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) of the European Union. In order to establish the underwater noise levels and therefore allow the evaluation of the impact of the acoustic pollution in the marine life, it is necessary to study the acoustic noise evolution, in particular during long time intervals.
This paper presents an analysis of the underwater Ambient noise in the Mediterranean Sea, focusing primarily on the variation patterns both daily and throughout the annual seasons. The study includes different parameters from the Descriptor 11 of the MSFD as well as other acoustic indicators.
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