An Urgent Moment For Ocean Life & A Narrow Window To Act
Dear Friend of the Ocean,
A global underwater internet is being created right now.
Not with fiber.
Not with satellites.
But with high-intensity sound encoded acoustic signals projected across the ocean at 160–250 decibels.
Listen here: soon the ocean will sound like this.
This network is being developed through the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for ocean-wide, continuous application. If left unchecked, it risks becoming the loudest permanent human presence ever introduced into the marine environment directly in the hearing range of whales, dolphins, fish, and countless other species that rely on sound to survive.
Here is the critical fact most people do not know:
As a Convenor, I have a seat at the tables where Standards for this new technology are being written.
We are inside the committees shaping this technology right now, working to ensure that any underwater data network is biologically safe, scientifically grounded, and compatible with life in the ocean, not hostile to it.
This is a rare and fragile window of influence.
Why This Moment Is Urgent
Once international standards are finalized, they are extraordinarily difficult to change. Infrastructure will be deployed, procurement contracts signed, and environmental harm, if embedded into the standards will become normalized and permanent.
We have months, not years, to:
Introduce bio-friendly acoustic limits
Require environmental safeguards and monitoring
Embed marine mammal and ecosystem protections directly into IEC standards
Prevent irreversible harm before it is scaled globally
What We Need Right Now
To remain fully engaged in these IEC committees and complete the next phase of mitigation work, we urgently need $40,000 in bridge funding. This covers:
Expert participation in active IEC working groups
Scientific review and counter-proposals
Legal and standards-process support
Immediate travel, documentation, and technical submissions
Without this funding, our voice at the table risks going silent at the most consequential moment.
The Bigger Vision
Full funding of $4.5 million will allow QOSI to:
Lead long-term bio-acoustic standards development
Fund independent marine science aligned with policy action
Train and place experts across international standards bodies
Ensure that future ocean technologies are compatible with life, not extractive at its expense
This is not a protest effort.
This is not speculative advocacy.
This is standards-level intervention, where a small, informed team can change outcomes for the entire planet.
Why Your Support Matters
History shows that environmental harm often occurs not because people intended damage, but because no one with ecological expertise was present when technical decisions were made.
Right now, we are present.
With your support, we can ensure that the world’s first ocean-wide data network is designed with restraint, responsibility, and respect for marine life.
A gift today, especially toward the immediate $40,000 need directly determines whether the ocean gets a voice in decisions that will affect it for generations.
For those who are not in a position for larger donations but can make ongoing donations, we would like to encourage making a commitment for a monthly ongoing donation through 2026.
If you would like a briefing, technical summary, or discussion of funding options, we would welcome the opportunity to speak with you directly.
Please feel free to share this letter with your lists and social media!
Thank you for standing with science, with life, and with the ocean when it matters most.
With deep appreciation,
Kathy
Quiet Ocean Standards Initiative
Safeguarding Life in a Connected Ocean
