Noise Budget

A noise budget is a cumulative assessment of underwater sound in a given area, accounting for all contributing sources, shipping, seismic surveys, pile driving, sonar, and natural ambient noise, against a defined acceptable level or threshold. It supports management of chronic and acute noise, letting regulators judge whether an additional activity pushes total exposure past limits for marine mammals and fish. The concept underlies the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive Descriptor 11 (energy, including underwater noise) and its registers of impulsive and continuous noise. Quantified in sound-pressure and sound-exposure metrics, a noise budget turns the abstract goal of a quieter ocean into a measurable, manageable ceiling.