Reducing the impacts to orca whales from commercial ships

Quiet Sound is a non-regulatory coalition whose goal is to better understand and reduce the cumulative effects of acoustic and physical disturbance from large commercial vessels (such as large oceangoing vessels, tugs, and public transit vessels) on Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW) throughout their range in Washington state. The Quiet Sound program will likely have added benefits for other species and sectors. Quiet Sound will implement voluntary shipping noise reduction initiatives and monitoring programs through the range of the Southern Resident killer whales in Washington State, in coordination with Canadian and United States authorities.

• Promote data-driven, targeted, and results-oriented projects that lead to reduction in acoustic and physical threats to SRKW. 
• Hold the highest level of respect for treaty rights and coordinate actions with Washington State Tribes. 
• Promote voluntary participation. 
• Leverage relationships with public, private and non-profit sector partners to ensure cost-effective and coordinated utilization of resources. 
• Employ ‘best available science’ in decision-making and support data collection to fill gaps as necessary. 
• Be transparent and well-documented. 
• Reflect equity, diversity and inclusion in hiring, contracting, participation, and implementation.