As the US Navy plans to expand its testing of sonar in the oceans, the creation of an independent research programme to find out how the noise may affect marine mammals seems doomed. Evidence is also emerging that the Navy may have been pressuring scientists to downplay links between sonar and damage to marine life. After two years of meetings costing nearly $1 million, an advisory committee of scientific, military and industry leaders convened by the US Marine Mammal Commission (MMC) has collapsed. Instead of producing a consensus-based report on how best to study the effects of sonar on marine mammals, the 28 members will, next week, submit individual recommendations. The MMC will then report to US Congress in the next few months, but without agreement, it is unlikely that any research will be funded.
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