These can kill, disturb, injure or strand marine mammals, including killer whales, which are very sensitive to noise. According to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the navy's testing and training activities qualify as military readiness activities pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act. When military activities affect marine mammals, the NMFS, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has to authorize what it calls "incidental takes." The new rule allows for many more incidental takes of southern resident killer whales from two per year to 51 per year. Killer whales are pictured in Chatham Sound near Prince Rupert, B.C.

Source: CBC News November 17, 2020 22:14 UTC