Electric and magnetic senses in marine animals, and potential behavioral effects of electromagnetic surveys.

Electromagnetic surveys generate electromagnetic fields to map petroleum deposits under the seabed with unknown consequences for marine animals. The electric and magnetic fields induced by electromagnetic surveys can be detected by many marine animals, and the generated fields may potentially affect the behavior of perceptive animals. Animals using magnetic cues for migration or local orientation, especially during a restricted time-window, risk being affected by electromagnetic surveys. In electrosensitive animals, anthropogenic electric fields could disrupt a range of behaviors. The lack of studies on effects of the electromagnetic fields induced by electromagnetic surveys on the behavior of magneto- and electrosensitive animals is a reason for concern. Here, we review the use of electric and magnetic fields among marine animals, present data on survey generated and natural electromagnetic fields, and discuss potential effects of electromagnetic surveys on the behavior of marine animals.

• Publication year

  2020

• Venue

  Marine Environmental Research

• Publication date

  2020-01-24

• Fields of study

  Geology, Medicine, Environmental Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.104888PMID 32072990
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Effect of a magnetic pulse on orientation behavior in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

  2020cited by this paper
• The relationship between the moon cycle and the orientation of glass eels (Anguilla anguilla) at sea

  2019cited by this paper
• Vertical–vertical controlled‐source electromagnetic instrumentation and acquisition

  2019cited by this paper
• Magnetoreception in fish.

  2019cited by this paper
• Atlantic Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) Larvae Have a Magnetic Compass that Guides Their Orientation

  2019cited by this paper
• Impact of magnetic fields generated by AC/DC submarine power cables on the behavior of juvenile European lobster (Homarus gammarus).

  2019cited by this paper
• Electroreception, electrogenesis and electric signal evolution.

  2019influential reference
• Glass eels (Anguilla anguilla) imprint the magnetic direction of tidal currents from their juvenile estuaries

  2019cited by this paper
• Permanent magnets reduce bycatch of benthic sharks in an ocean trap fishery

  2018cited by this paper
• Size-dependent avoidance of a strong magnetic anomaly in Caribbean spiny lobsters

  2018cited by this paper
• Understanding the effects of electromagnetic field emissions from Marine Renewable Energy Devices (MREDs) on the commercially important edible crab, Cancer pagurus (L.).

  2018cited by this paper
• A review of potential impacts of submarine power cables on the marine environment: Knowledge gaps, recommendations and future directions

  2018cited by this paper
• Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Impacts on Elasmobranch (shark, rays, and skates) and American Lobster Movement and Migration from Direct Current Cables

  2018cited by this paper
• Long-distance navigation and magnetoreception in migratory animals

  2018influential reference
• Marine migrations.

  2018cited by this paper
• Magnetic map in nonanadromous Atlantic salmon

  2018cited by this paper
• Solar storms may trigger sperm whale strandings in the North Sea: evidence from multiple strandings in 2016

  2017cited by this paper
• Solar storms may trigger sperm whale strandings: explanation approaches for multiple strandings in the North Sea in 2016

  2017cited by this paper
• Effect of

  2017cited by this paper
• Whether European eel leptocephali use the Earth's magnetic field to guide their migration remains an open question.

  2017cited by this paper
• Pre-settlement coral-reef fish larvae respond to magnetic field changes during the day

  2017cited by this paper
• Glass eels (Anguilla anguilla) have a magnetic compass linked to the tidal cycle

  2017cited by this paper
• The magnetic orientation of the Antarctic amphipod Gondogeneia antarctica is cancelled by very weak radiofrequency fields

  2016cited by this paper
• Cetacean beachings correlate with geomagnetic disturbances in Earth's magnetosphere: an example of how astronomical changes impact the future of life

  2016cited by this paper
• A magnetic compass that might help coral reef fish larvae return to their natal reef.

  2016cited by this paper
• Electrotrawling: a promising alternative fishing technique warranting further exploration

  2015influential reference
• Hooks equipped with magnets can increase catches of blue shark (Prionace glauca) by longline fishery

  2015cited by this paper
• Sharks senses and shark repellents.

  2015cited by this paper
• Behavioural evidence of magnetoreception in dolphins: detection of experimental magnetic fields

  2014cited by this paper
• Anthropogenic electromagnetic noise disrupts magnetic compass orientation in a migratory bird

  2014cited by this paper
• Why are living things sensitive to weak magnetic fields?

  2014cited by this paper
• The geomagnetic environment in which sea turtle eggs incubate affects subsequent magnetic navigation behaviour of hatchlings

  2014cited by this paper
• Preventing injuries and recovery for electrically stunned Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) using high frequency spectrum combined with a thermal shock

  2014cited by this paper
• Magnetic fields and fish behavior

  2014cited by this paper
• Rearing in a distorted magnetic field disrupts the ‘map sense’ of juvenile steelhead trout

  2014cited by this paper
• Magnets, magnetic field fluctuations and geomagnetic disturbances impair the homing ability of honey bees (Apis mellifera)

  2014influential reference
• Magnetic alignment in mammals and other animals

  2013cited by this paper
• Magnetic Compass Orientation in the European Eel

  2013cited by this paper
• A strong magnetic pulse affects the precision of departure direction of naturally migrating adult but not juvenile birds

  2013cited by this paper
• Evidence from Strandings for Geomagnetic Sensitivity in Cetaceans

  2013cited by this paper
• Evidence for geomagnetic imprinting as a homing mechanism in Pacific salmon.

  2013cited by this paper
• Survival of the Stillest: Predator Avoidance in Shark Embryos

  2013cited by this paper
• Non-physical barriers to deter fish movements

  2012cited by this paper
• Electroreception in the Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis)

  2012cited by this paper
• Magnetic field perception in the rainbow trout Oncorynchus mykiss: magnetite mediated, light dependent or both?

  2012cited by this paper
• Environmental Impact Assessment

  2011influential reference
• Sensory Processing in Aquatic Environments

  2011influential reference
• Marine Electromagnetic Studies of Seafloor Resources and Tectonics

  2011cited by this paper
• Orientation of hatchling loggerhead sea turtles to regional magnetic fields along a transoceanic migratory pathway

  2011cited by this paper
• Magnetic particles associated with the lateral line of the European eel Anguilla anguilla.

  2009cited by this paper
• Navigation by Induction-Based Magnetoreception in Elasmobranch Fishes

  2009cited by this paper
• Vertical source, vertical receiver, electromagnetic technique for offshore hydrocarbon exploration

  2009influential reference
• Magnetic field perception in the Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

  2009cited by this paper
• Spike dives of juvenile southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii): a navigational role?

  2009cited by this paper
• Animal navigation: the evolution of magnetic orientation.

  2008cited by this paper
• Bats Use Magnetite to Detect the Earth's Magnetic Field

  2008cited by this paper
• Behavioral Responses of Two Species of Sharks to Pulsed, Direct Current Electrical Fields: Testing a Potential Shark Deterrent

  2008cited by this paper
• Magnetoreception in animals

  2008cited by this paper
• Effect of various electric field strengths and current durations on stunning and spinal injuries of Atlantic herring.

  2008cited by this paper
• The Paddlefish Rostrum as an Electrosensory Organ: A Novel Adaptation for Plankton Feeding

  2007influential reference
• On the electrodetection threshold of aquatic vertebrates with ampullary or mucous gland electroreceptor organs

  2007cited by this paper
• Marine turtles use geomagnetic cues during open-sea homing.

  2007cited by this paper
• Offshore Windmills and the Effects of Electromagnetic Fields on Fish

  2007cited by this paper
• Polarized Light Cues Underlie Compass Calibration in Migratory Songbirds

  2006cited by this paper
• Calibration of magnetic and celestial compass cues in migratory birds - a review of cue-conflict experiments

  2006cited by this paper
• Marine electromagnetic methods—A new tool for offshore exploration

  2006cited by this paper
• Magnetic Maps in Animals: A Theory Comes of Age?

  2006cited by this paper
• Calibration of magnetic and celestial compass cues in migratory birds– a review of cue-conflict experiments

  2006cited by this paper
• Developmental effects of electromagnetic fields

  2005influential reference
• The physics and neurobiology of magnetoreception

  2005cited by this paper
• Sharks can detect changes in the geomagnetic field

  2005cited by this paper
• Magnetic orientation and magnetoreception in birds and other animals

  2005influential reference
• On electrical fishing for brown shrimp (Crangon crangon): I. Laboratory experiments

  2005cited by this paper
• Disruption of magnetic orientation in hatchling loggerhead sea turtles by pulsed magnetic fields

  2005cited by this paper
• Anguilla japonica is already magnetosensitive at the glass eel phase

  2005cited by this paper
• Effects of magnetic fields on fyke net performance

  2004cited by this paper
• The functional roles of passive electroreception in non-electric fishes

  2004influential reference
• Migrating Songbirds Recalibrate Their Magnetic Compass Daily from Twilight Cues

  2004cited by this paper
• Magnetic sense in the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica, as determined by conditioning and electrocardiography

  2004cited by this paper
• End buds: non-ampullary electroreceptors in adult lampreys

  2004cited by this paper
• Brain pathways and behavioral responses to weak electric fields in parasitic sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus).

  2004cited by this paper
• Invited overview: conclusions from a review of electrofishing and its harmful effects on fish

  2003cited by this paper
• Effect of Electric Field Strength and Current Duration on Stunning and Injuries in Market-Sized Atlantic Salmon Held in Seawater

  2003cited by this paper
• True navigation and magnetic maps in spiny lobsters

  2003cited by this paper
• The return of cod transplanted from a spawning ground in southern Newfoundland

  2002cited by this paper
• Electroreception in juvenile scalloped hammerhead and sandbar sharks.

  2002cited by this paper
• The electric sense of the paddlefish: a passive system for the detection and capture of zooplankton prey.

  2002cited by this paper
• Effects of magnetic field on the direction of fish movement under natural conditions

  2002cited by this paper
• The evolution of electroreception and bioelectrogenesis in teleost fish: a phylogenetic perspective

  2001cited by this paper
• Range of electrosensory detection of prey by Carcharhinus melanopterus and Himantura granulata

  2001cited by this paper
• Regional Magnetic Fields as Navigational Markers for Sea Turtles

  2001cited by this paper
• A Review of Elasmobranch Reproductive Behavior with a Case Study on the Nurse Shark, Ginglymostoma Cirratum

  2001cited by this paper
• Occurrence and distribution of diverse populations of magnetic protists in a chemically stratified coastal salt pond

  2000cited by this paper
• Androgen-Induced Changes in the Response Dynamics of Ampullary Electrosensory Primary Afferent Neurons

  2000cited by this paper
• BEHAVIOR OF STERLET ACIPENSER RUTHENUS AND RUSSIAN STURGEON A. GUELDENSTAEDTII IN LOW-FREQUENCY ELECTRIC FIELDS

  1999cited by this paper
• Effect of a magnetic pulse on the orientation of silvereyes, zosterops l. lateralis, during spring migration

  1998cited by this paper
• Detection of weak electric fields by sharks, rays, and skates.

  1998influential reference
• Hatchling sea turtles use surface waves to establish a magnetic compass direction

  1998cited by this paper
• Response properties and biological function of the skate electrosensory system during ontogeny

  1998cited by this paper
• Varlation in migration and abundance of norwegian spring spawning herring (Clupea harengus L.)

  1997cited by this paper

• Effect of anthropogenic electromagnetic fields used for subsurface oil and gas exploration (controlled-source electromagnetics, CSEM) on the fertilization success and embryonic development of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua).

  2025cites this paper
• Moon Phases Influence Posthatch Resting Behavior in Loggerhead Sea Turtle Hatchlings

  2025cites this paper
• Female Crabs Are More Sensitive to Environmentally Relevant Electromagnetic Fields from Submarine Power Cables

  2025cites this paper
• Experience of spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias interactions with aquaculture installations in Norway

  2025cites this paper
• Electric Fields Induced by Water Movement in Proximity to HVDC Submarine Cables

  2025cites this paper
• From subsea power cable to small-spotted catshark Scyliorhinus canicula: Behavioural effects of electromagnetic fields in tank experiments.

  2025cites this paper
• Site identification and power production for floating photovoltaics in The Bahamas

  2025cites this paper
• Dynamics of a Coupled Nonlocal PDE-ODE System with Spatial Memory: Well-Posedness, Stability, and Bifurcation Analysis

  2025cites this paper
• Electromagnetic Fields Emitted from Submarine Power Cables of Offshore Wind Farms; Measurements, Attenuation with Distances, and Potential Biological Impact

  2025cites this paper
• Spatial conflict in offshore wind farms: Challenges and solutions for the commercial fishing industry

  2025cites this paper
• Effects of electromagnetic radiation from offshore wind power on the physiology and behavior of two marine fishes.

  2025cites this paper
• Do electromagnetic fields from subsea power cables effect benthic elasmobranch behaviour? A risk-based approach for the Dutch Continental Shelf.

  2024cites this paper
• Making eco-sustainable floating offshore wind farms: Siting, mitigations, and compensations

  2024cites this paper
• Effects of anthropogenic electromagnetic fields used for subsurface oil and gas exploration (controlled-source electromagnetics, CSEM) on the early development of Atlantic haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus).

  2024cites this paper
• Electromagnetic fields and diadromous fish spawning migration: An urgent call for knowledge.

  2024cites this paper
• Frequency Up-Conversion Piezoelectric-Electromagnetic Hybrid Wave Energy Harvester Based on Magnetic Coupling

  2024cites this paper
• Wireless Power Transfer for Unmanned Underwater Vehicles: Technologies, Challenges and Applications

  2024cites this paper
• Effect of an electromagnetic field generated by power infrastructure on the spatial orientation of developing sea trout embryos Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758

  2024cites this paper
• Effect of static magnetic field on marine mollusc Elysia leucolegnote

  2023cites this paper
• The use of swimming pools by bats on a game reserve in South Africa

  2023cites this paper
• Assessment of potential impact of magnetic fields from a subsea high-voltage DC power cable on migrating green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris

  2023cites this paper
• Do electromagnetic fields from subsea power cables effect elasmobranch behaviour? A risk-based approach for the Dutch Continental Shelf

  2023influential citation
• Static magnetic fields reduce swimming activity of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) larvae

  2023cites this paper
• Environmental Compatibility of the Parc Tramuntana Offshore Wind Project in Relation to Marine Ecosystems

  2022cites this paper
• Effects of operational off-shore wind farms on fishes and fisheries. Review report

  2022influential citation
• Spatio-temporal nonconvex penalty adaptive chirp mode decomposition for signal decomposition of cross-frequency coupled sources in seafloor dynamic engineering

  2022cites this paper
• Experimental Study of Measuring Algorithm Accuracy of the Electromagnetic Distance Measurement Anticollision Tool

  2022cites this paper
• Magnetic fields generated by the DC cables of offshore wind farms have no effect on spatial distribution or swimming behavior of lesser sandeel larvae (Ammodytes marinus).

  2022cites this paper
• Magnetic fields produced by subsea high-voltage direct current cables reduce swimming activity of haddock larvae (Melanogrammus aeglefinus)

  2022cites this paper
• Environmental Impacts of Tidal and Wave Energy Converters

  2021cites this paper
• Are fish in danger? A review of environmental effects of marine renewable energy on fishes

  2021cites this paper
• Angler and environmental influences on walleye Sander vitreus and muskellunge Esox masquinongy angler catch in Escanaba Lake, Wisconsin 2003–2015

  2021cites this paper
• Effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields on flora and fauna, Part 2 impacts: how species interact with natural and man-made EMF

  2021cites this paper
• Effects of Sound from Seismic Surveys on Fish Reproduction, the Management Case from Norway

  2021cites this paper
• Distance Estimation in Reproduction Tasks in a Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina)

  2021cites this paper
• Species and Electromagnetic Fields Associated with Electricity Production by Offshore Wind Farms

  2021cites this paper
• Insights into the behavioural responses of juvenile thornback ray Raja clavata to alternating and direct current magnetic fields.

  2021cites this paper
• Arabidopsis cryptochrome and Quantum Biology: new insights for plant science and crop improvement

  2020cites this paper
• The Interaction Between Resource Species and Electromagnetic Fields Associated with Electricity Production by Offshore Wind Farms

  2020cites this paper
• Havforskningsinstituttets rådgivning for menneskeskapt støy i havet: seismikk, elektromagnetiske undersøkelser og undersjøiske sprengninger

  2019cites this paper
• Addressing offshore wind farms compatibilities and conflicts with marine conservation through the application of modelled benchmarking scenarios

  year unknowncites this paper
• The effect of electromagnetic field on the development of early life stages of Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua )

  year unknowncites this paper
• Anticipating potential environmental risks of offshore hydrogen production powered by offshore wind farm

  year unknowncites this paper