Ocean noise is often an unintentional "by-product" of transportation, infrastructure construction and industrial development. The Navy uses sonar to detect ships and submarines, and geologists use seismic airguns to survey oil and gas on the seafloor.
The use of naval sonar has also been linked to the mass strandings of several whales in the Caribbean, Europe and East Asia. Long-term low-frequency sounds can also affect the ability of juveniles to find their homes. Juvenile fish use sound to explore their ideal marine ecosystem, but when human sounds block out these natural soundscapes, they end up in unsuitable environments.