Harnessing Fiber-Optic Cables for Orca Conservation

Tue Oct 21 2025 23:19:02 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Innovative deployment of fiber-optic cables aims to monitor endangered orca vocalizations in the Salish Sea, potentially transforming underwater communication and conservation efforts.

A groundbreaking initiative by researchers at the University of Washington aims to transform existing underwater fiber-optic cables into dynamic tools for monitoring endangered orcas in the Salish Sea. By deploying over a mile of cable, these scientists hope to capture the orcas' high-frequency sounds, which can provide critical data for conservation efforts and help mitigate the harmful effects of noise pollution from ship traffic. This pioneering approach could pave the way for a comprehensive monitoring network, enhancing our understanding of orca behavior and the ecological health of marine ecosystems.

As dawn broke over San Juan Island, a team of scientists from the University of Washington deployed a mile of fiber-optic cable into the Salish Sea. By utilizing existing telecommunications infrastructure, they aim to create a continuous, underwater listening device capable of picking up the clicks and calls of orcas.

This technology, known as Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), has previously been used to monitor pipelines. By turning the entire cable into a sensor, researchers can precisely locate vocalizing orcas and understand their interactions with ship traffic and their responses to food scarcity and climate change.

According to Shima Abadi, a professor at the University of Washington, this technology could lead to a significant advancement in marine conservation: We can imagine that we have thousands of hydrophones along the cable recording data continuously.\

Challenges do exist, however. Orcas communicate at high frequencies, and while the researchers have previously recorded deep calls from baleen whales with similar technology, they still need to validate its effectiveness with orca sounds.

The current population of Southern Resident orcas, numbering around 75, face critical threats, including noise pollution, toxicity levels in their environment, and diminishing food sources. As Scott Veirs from Beam Reach Marine Science and Sustainability emphasized, We have an endangered killer whale trying to eat an endangered salmon species. With the Chinook salmon population drastically declining due to human activities, the stakes for orca populations have never been higher.

This fiber-optic technology aims not only to track the orcas' movements but also to inform decisions that may protect them. For example, if orcas are detected heading towards busy shipping routes, ferries may be advised to adjust their operations to reduce noise pollution and prevent disruptions in orca hunting.

Beyond the Salish Sea, there are global implications, with some 870,000 miles of installed underwater cables that could potentially serve as a vast ocean monitoring network. Yuta Masuda, director of science at Allen Family Philanthropies, noted, One of the most important challenges for conservation is the lack of data. This technology could fill in crucial data gaps. As new marine protected areas arise under the upcoming High Seas Treaty, leveraging existing infrastructure could be key to biodiversity conservation in oceanic regions.

On the barge, the research team also faced the delicate task of fusing fibers together, requiring precision amid the rolling waves. Once connected, the data began flowing to computers, creating visualizations that chart sound frequencies and potentially linking vocal behaviors to orca sightings. With challenging weather and testing times ahead, the team remains hopeful and now only waits for the orcas to arrive.