Draft guidelines for the reduction of underwater noise from commercial shipping to address adverse impacts on marine life were agreed to by the International Maritime Organization’s Sub-Committee on Ship Design and Construction during its Jan. 23-27 meeting. The draft guidelines recognize that commercial shipping is one of the main contributors to underwater radiated noise (URN) which has adverse effects on critical life functions for a wide range of marine life, including marine mammals, fish and invertebrate species, upon which many coastal Indigenous communities depend for their food, livelihoods and cultures. The draft revised guidelines provide an overview of approaches applicable…