Abstract:Anthropogenic noise generally refers to various types of noise generated by human activities and released into the environment, encompassing mechanical operation sounds, ship navigation noises, engineering blasting sounds, and other similar acoustic emissions. As a secondary pollutant introduced into natural environments through human activities, the underwater acoustic propagation characteristics and ecological impacts of anthropogenic noise have emerged as a critical interdisciplinary research focus at the intersection of marine environmental science and aquatic biology. Unlike in terrestrial environments, industrial noise in aquatic systems exhibits long-term, cumulative, and cross-habitat propagation characteristics, imposing significant negative impacts on fish and other aquatic organisms in underwater ecosystems. With the acceleration of globalization, the intensity of marine development has increased exponentially. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, 2024), global merchant fleet tonnage has grown by 75% over the past two decades, offshore wind power capacity has expanded at an annual rate of 22%, and intensive aquaculture production now accounts for 52% of total fishery output. The noise fields generated by these activities—ranging from ship propeller cavitation to pile-driving for offshore infrastructure and mechanical vibrations in aquaculture facilities—have significantly altered the marine soundscape. Background noise levels in some coastal waters have increased by 15–20 dB compared to the 1960s, a change driven by the cumulative effect of continuous low-frequency rumble from shipping and intermittent high-energy pulses from construction activities. This drastic transformation of the underwater acoustic environment poses multidimensional stresses to fish, which rely heavily on sound for essential life processes. Physiologically, prolonged noise exposure disrupts sensory systems: it causes microstructural damage to swim bladders, critical for sound resonance, and induces apoptosis of auditory hair cells in the inner ear, impairing sound detection. Behaviorally, noise interferes with navigation, communication, and survival strategies: coral reef fish struggle with mate recognition and predator avoidance as ambient noise masks species-specific acoustic signals. At the population level, these effects cascade into declines in local species abundance and alterations in community structure. The rapid expansion of human activities—including global shipping, offshore engineering, recreational boating, and industrial aquaculture—has brought the issue of anthropogenic noise affecting fish welfare to the forefront of attention for environmental organizations, government agencies, research institutions, aquaculture practitioners, and consumers. In recent years, the scientific community has responded with a growing body of research, thereby reflecting heightened awareness of this ecological challenge. However, current research remains constrained by notable limitations. The majority of studies focus on single model species subjected to acute noise exposure in controlled laboratory settings, measuring short-term behavioral changes or physiological indicators like elevated serum cortisol. While such studies provide insights into species-specific threshold responses, there is a lack of systematic discussion from the perspective of fish habitat classification on the differences in responses among different ecological fish types to noise. Based on this, this paper systematically collates and analyzes a large body of relevant literature through bibliometric analysis, and further employs the VOSviewer visualization tool to conduct multidimensional quantitative analysis of 283 documents. This process constructs a keyword co-occurrence network, a national collaboration map, and an institutional distribution map, aiming to provide visual support for interpreting research progress and outline advancements in studies on fish responses to anthropogenic noise. The paper also respectively discusses the current research status of how anthropogenic noise in natural and aquaculture environments affects fish welfare parameters such as growth, physiology, and behavior. In natural environments, fish exhibit altered swimming behaviors—for example, when ships approach, they change their swimming direction, make rapid turns, or display avoidance behaviors. Recent studies have also revealed that fish behavioral responses to anthropogenic noise extend to anti-predation and foraging activities. Physiologically, intermittent high-level ship noise induces acute stress responses in coastal marine fish, manifesting as abnormal physiological indicators such as sudden increases in serum cortisol concentration. In terms of reproductive behavior, traffic noise masks the acoustic signals emitted by male fish during the breeding period in freshwater streams, disrupting females’ ability to extract information about males from these signals and negatively impacting successful mating. At the survival capacity level, ship traffic restricts the activity ranges of marine fish, potentially causing them to miss food resources and thus affecting their long-term survival. In aquaculture environments, fish in marine cages, lake enclosures, and land-based industrial farms are all affected by persistent anthropogenic noise. Take recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) as an example: the low-frequency vibrations and mechanical noise generated by equipment operation have been proven to stress the growth performance and immune function of freshwater fish such as rainbow trout. This research is of significant importance for enhancing public awareness, aiding in formulating guiding policies, promoting interdisciplinary development in related fields, and driving technological innovation. By unraveling the complex relationships between anthropogenic noise and fish responses, it seeks to facilitate coordination between human activities and the underwater soundscape environment on which fish depend for survival, improve fish welfare, and achieve a win-win situation between economic benefits and ecological sustainability.
