Ocean — EIA
A closeup view of foamy water

Ocean

The future of our global ocean is in peril. Loss of sea ice due to climate change, underwater noise exposure from increased commercial shipping, mining, and fossil fuel development all pose significant challenges to species survival. EIA campaigns to protect fragile ecosystems and vulnerable marine mammal populations. 

With rapid Arctic Ocean warming, the need for urgent protection of marine mammals and their habitat is critical. EIA works to advance policy and regulatory mitigation measures to ensure that these imperiled species can survive a changing ocean environment.

EIA’s Ocean Campaign focuses on securing protections for beluga whales across their range, specifically for Alaska’s critically endangered Cook Inlet population. EIA proactively engages federal and local elected officials, regulators, and conservation partners on implementing stronger protection measures to reduce cumulative threats, promote population recovery, and highlight the plight of Cook Inlet beluga whales through research and advocacy. 

EIA is also pursuing new global policies to reduce underwater noise pollution from commercial shipping. Currently, commercial shipping noise is almost entirely unregulated and is growing at an alarming rate. EIA is advocating for the adoption of mandatory noise reduction measures within the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and is working with international governments and regional stakeholders to raise awareness of this issue, share knowledge, and implement policies. EIA also engages with the shipping industry to promote the adoption of new quiet ship technologies.

EIA’s Ocean and Extractives Campaigns also work together to fight destructive mining policies and practices that harm ocean and land ecosystems, threaten local communities, and imperil wildlife.

Campaign Goals

  • Restore the population of endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales and other vulnerable marine mammals across their natural ranges
  • Prevent ocean habitat destruction to support ecosystem resiliency
  • Respect and incorporate the knowledge and practices of Indigenous and local communities when collaboratively developing conservation initiatives

Areas of Work

Campaign Impacts

  • Since 2006, EIA has persuaded 3,500 Japanese supermarkets, as well as Amazon and Google’s Japanese shopping sites, to cease the sale of more than US$60 million of whale and dolphin products within the Japanese market.
  • EIA’s release of the Pebble Tapes in 2020 had a game-changing impact on the viability  of the proposed Pebble Mine project, a highly controversial massive copper mine in the headwaters of Bristol Bay, Alaska. The proposed mine threatened Bristol Bay wildlife, such as beluga whales. Wild salmon, and the communities that depend on them, would also be impacted. Ultimately the project permit was rejected, although local communities continue to fight for permanent protections for the region.
  • In June 2021, after more than five years of campaigning by EIA and its clean shipping advocacy partners, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted a ban on the use of heavy fuel oil (HFO) throughout the Arctic region. A tar-like residual waste from the oil refining process, HFO is the world’s dirtiest and most polluting ship fuel. HFO spills are nearly impossible to clean up and are devastating to marine life.

Featured Work

Related Resources

Blog

Turning Down the Noise at Our Ocean Conference

Government leaders, community members, NGO representatives, and journalists from around the world gathered at the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, to discuss the many challenges that face our global ocean, as well as recent conservation successes, possibilities for action, and opportunities for international cooperation.

A humpback whale swims near the surface
Press Release

Líderes mundiales lanzan la Coalición de Gran Ambición por un Océano Tranquilo en la Conferencia de la ONU sobre los Océanos celebrada en Niza

Durante la tercera Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre los Océanos (UNOC 3), los ministros de Panamá y Canadá se unieron a los líderes de otros 35 países para lanzar la Coalición de Gran Ambición por un Océano Tranquilo, la primera coalición política mundial dedicada a reducir la nociva contaminación acústica de los océanos. 

Report

Turn Down the Volume

It's time for the International Maritime Organization - the global body that regulates international shipping, with support from Member States - to set limits on underwater noise pollution from shipping. The solutions are available, but regulations are needed to ensure these solutions are adopted by ship owners and operators around the world.