Gala Serrano Canals, researcher at the Engineering Institute for Integrated Coastal Zone Management (IGIC) of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), participated on behalf of the Life PortSounds project in the 35th Congress of the European Cetacean Society (ECS), held in May 2025 in the Azores Islands.
During the event, the researcher presented a poster entitled ‘Characterisation of underwater noise in port environments: first results of the LIFE PortSounds project’. It presented the first results of the project related to the characterisation of underwater noise in port environments, a key aspect to assess its impact on cetaceans and other marine organisms.
The poster summarises the first results obtained after several years of study in the environment of the Port of Cartagena. It details the methodology used – based on a BACI (Before-After-Control-Impact) approach -, the selection of target species, the combination of acoustic and visual data, and the models developed to estimate the distribution and abundance of cetaceans. In addition, a baseline sound database has been created with recordings of six cetacean species, which will serve as a tool for assessing future changes following the implementation of underwater noise mitigation measures.
Being present at the ECS Congress represents a valuable opportunity to give international visibility to the work being carried out by the Life PortSounds project. This congress is one of the most relevant scientific meetings in Europe on cetacean conservation, and every year brings together experts in marine biology, environmental management, acoustic technology and conservation policies. Active participation in this forum allows knowledge to be shared, methodologies to be validated and synergies to be established with other projects facing similar challenges in the face of the impact of underwater noise.
Attendance at the congress has also allowed for closer links with the scientific community specialising in marine bioacoustics and cetacean conservation, as well as the exchange of best practices that will enrich the development and implementation of noise mitigation measures in the Port of Cartagena.
