Maritime traffic, military exercises, seismic surveys, coastal and offshore projects are the main human activities to produce underwater noise.

Many marine organisms use sound for communication, foraging, and navigation. Anthropogenic underwater noise may have harmful effects on marine biodiversity. It may have effects such as physical damage, behavioural changes, chronic/cumulative impacts and stress.

The issue of anthropogenic underwater noise and its impacts on the marine environment is already recognised at the international level, with a number of activities falling within the scope of international agreements and organisations, both those responsible for nature conservation and for various noise-producing sectors.