The Swiss environmental protection organization OceanCare is calling for a maritime speed limit and other measures to protect whales, dolphins and sea turtles in the Mediterranean Sea off the Spanish island of Mallorca.
The noise of propellers and collisions with shipping traffic threatened the lives of the animals, said OceanCare's Nicolas Entrup at a press conference on Tuesday in Palma, the island's capital.
The route between Barcelona and Mallorca is particularly loud and affects the sea life's orientation and communication, he said, noting the area also has a high presence of whales.
Entrup said the solution was simple:
"If the ships were only going 10% slower, it would be 40% quieter in the water. In addition, the likelihood of fatal collisions with marine mammals is reduced by 50%."
Slower moving ships are also good for the climate because they emit less carbon dioxide.
