In a new study conducted by the U.S. Navy, there is an astounding number of dolphins and whales that are being harmed from Naval training exercises.
Staff attorney Zak Smith concludes that the matter is “incredibly concerning.” As the Navy calculated, approximately 200 marine mammals could possibly die annually from the Navy’s use of explosives and sonar. The study also discovered that the Navy’s sonar and explosive use could cause over 1,600 hearing loss incidents as well as other injuries every year within the waters between San Diego and Hawaii.
Other issues surface as the Navy furthers its research. Many scientists have said that the sonar activity can disturb the feeding routines and convince marine mammals to leave their habitat. Also, the sounds of the sonar can shock the marine animals so that they bolt to the surface very quickly.
Zak Smith with the Natural Resources Defense Council concluded that the mitigation measures “largely depend upon the ability of people on deck to spot marine mammals. The ability to detect marine mammals once they’re out of perfect conditions starts to drop off dramatically.”
The jump in this study’s risk stems from two different reasons. First, new research has also shown that marine mammals’ pain thresholds are much lower than previously anticipated. Second, the Navy also expanded its use of in-port sonar testing since the last test.
Although this study does not have a positive outcome, it teaches the U.S. Navy how to improve its testing and exercise training before the impacts truly start to show in the overall marine life.
Harvey Milk is most famously known for his involvement in the gay rights movement. In San Diego, Congressman Bob Filner is hoping to recognize Milk as Lieutenant Harvey Milk. Considering the Harvey Milk namesake for the next appropriate Naval ship is what’s most important for the San Diego County’s GLBT Historic Task force along with Naval Secretary and Naval Secretary of Defense.
Filner said, “Naming a ship after the late civil rights activist and Navy Officer Harvey Milk would be a great tribute to Milk’s support for equality and in keeping with effort to promote equality in our military after the recent repeal of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy.”
While Harvey Milk was in the U.S. Navy, he served on a submarine rescue ship in the Korean War and then was stationed to San Diego to work as a Naval Dive Instructor in 1954. Later discharged in 1955, Milk had worked his way up to lieutenant rankings. His bio states that Harvey Milk was proud of his service to the U.S. military and died wearing a brass belt buckle with his Navy diver’s insignia on it.
Harvey Milk went to San Francisco after his time in San Diego and became a huge equal rights activist and the first gay person to win elective office in the city and state. Milk was unfortunately assassinated in 1978 by San Francisco supervisor Dan White.
Harvey Milk’s former campaign manager Anne Kronenberg thinks that the christening of a Naval ship in honor of Harvey Milk would bring a smile to his face. Kronenberg, co-founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation, said, “Harvey understood the importance of symbolism in the advancement of civil rights. He also lived in an era when being out in the military was simply impossible. He’d be quite pleased that we are now in an era when not only can LGBT people be out in the military, but they can even have warships named after them. Times truly have changed.”
In San Diego, the Historic Task force is asking for people to send in letters of support for the christening of a Harvey Milk Naval ship. You can send letters to Ray Mabus, U.S. Navy’s secretary, or sign the online petition in favor of the ship at change.org.
