The USA Navy is considering expanding its sonar and weapons testing in waters between California and Hawaii and six public scoping meetings throughout Hawaii have been scheduled to hear comments.

They recently distributed a document explaining their plans which includes increasing the Navy's massive Pacific Fleet and new technologies in several years time. Sonar equipment is used primarily by Navy submarines, planes and ships to detect enemy vessels, communicate and navigate. The formal plan won't be released until early 2013 but the Navy have said they decided to open discussions now to gauge the public's opinions before making any decisions. Current sonar and weapons testing occurs along the coastline from Orange County to San Diego and several hundred miles out to sea, activity within that zone could increase greatly if authorities like the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) permit the Navy to do so. Evidence already shows sonar equipment is highly disruptive to marine mammals and can affect patterns like feeding, mating, nursing, general communication and migration. There's also strong scientific evidence that marine mammals like whales simply stop communicating when sonar tests and activities are taking place.

A summary of public comments will be released in about six months and a draft report incorporating public opinion by late 2011. A final study is due in late 2012. Marine Connection supporters can leave a comment here via the Navy's scoping website.

Meanwhile the charity has just received the news that NOAA has given authorisation to the US Navy to injure or kill up to 10 beaked whales during sonar training exercises in the Mariana Islands over the next five years. They have also has authorised the injury of individuals of 26 additional species during the same period. The Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean, south of Japan and north of New Guinea, and immediately to the east of the Philippine Sea.