Oceanographic field research as part of the UNDERSEA project

At the end of the first week of March, a measuring device was installed to record underwater noise as part of the international Interreg IT-HR UNDERSEA project, focused on underwater noise pollution, with a special emphasis on anthropogenic sources that affect the marine ecosystem.

The instrument was installed from the research vessel TRITON (CIM Rovinj). The SonoVault device is used to record underwater noise and enables the continuous recording of sounds in the frequency range of up to 24 kHz. This range covers a wide range of sounds – from the sounds of large and small ships to the sounds of marine animals and natural geosounds, such as rain, thunder, waves and even earthquakes.

The device was installed on the western part of the Istrian coast, where it will continuously record sounds until March 2026. The location of the station was chosen to record the sounds of ships on the main traffic routes to and from the major Adriatic ports such as Trieste, Koper and Venice, as well as the underwater sounds of local and nautical-tourist maritime traffic. After analyzing the collected data, the device is released back into the sea to continue the measurements.

The UNDERSEA project is being carried out in collaboration with partners from Italy and Croatia. The aim is to better understand and manage underwater noise pollution in the Adriatic Sea.