RIASSUNTO
Over the past two decades, there has been a growth in human activities in coastal waters worldwide, including underwater blasting. The broadband, high source-level noise produced by underwater blasting can seriously affect marine mammals and fish, leading to behavior modification, hearing organ damage and even death. Large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea), which is an important fish species in Chinese aquaculture, is extremely sensitive to sound. Therefore, it is important to study the noise field distribution due to underwater blasting and evaluate the impact on large yellow croaker. In this study, the Monterey-Miami Parabolic Equation (MMPE) model was used to predict the acoustic field induced by underwater blasting, and measured blasting data from Xiamen Bay were used to verify. Based on acoustic propagation modeling and fish auditory sensitivity, safe range for large yellow croaker was predicted to provide reference for charge selections and marine biological protection. Results suggested that for a 55-kg charge (commonly used in underwater construction), juvenile large yellow croaker (2–3 cm in length) requires a safe range about 2500 m; while young fish (10–15 cm) and adult fish (20–25 cm) only require a range of 1600 m and 900 m, respectively.