Our Work
At HUMM Ocean Labs, we monitor underwater noise in Victoria’s Marine Sanctuaries to protect marine life and inform coastal decisions.
We're developing Victoria's first Sound Atlas, starting with the 11 marine sanctuaries found on our coastlines. This initiative will provide open data to assess noise levels, understand reef health, and plan projects thoughtfully.
Explore our projects and resources to learn how sound connects us to the sea and supports its protection.
Our Why.
Marine animals depend on sound to communicate, navigate, find food, avoid predators, and choose mates. Yet human activities are filling the seas with noise, disrupting these vital soundscapes.
1) Ocean noise is rising fast
In some regions, background noise has increased by up to 10 decibels per decade since the 1980s, largely due to shipping, coastal development, and industry. This shift can mask the calls marine animals rely on for survival. By mapping sound baselines now we project Victorian coastlines from awareness creep.
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2) Sound travels further underwater than on land
A single ship can be heard hundreds of kilometers away, meaning local sources of noise ripple out to affect entire ecosystems. By documenting the soundscape we can identify periods where human activities such as from shipping can coexist with marine life and cause less harm.
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Exploring Animal behavior Though Sound
3) Healthy reefs sound different
Research shows that quieter bays and reefs attract more fish and marine life, while noisy environments can deter species from settling, feeding, or breeding.
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4) Every sanctuary is unique
The soundscape of a reef in Port Phillip is different from one in Western Port or along Bass Strait. Local monitoring is the only way to understand baseline noise conditions and identify when a reef is stressed. The good news, its extremely cost effective compared to more traditional research methods and provides the perfect proxy to identify where more in depth research can target specific zones.
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Sound Propagation Underwater, Acoustic Spatial Planning
5) Local action drives protection
Providing open, localized underwater sound data empowers communities, councils, NGOs, and industries to make better-informed decisions around development, shipping, and conservation. By identifying the 'acoustic niches' of key species, we can tailor activities to avoid disruption and support balanced coexistence.
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