Applying a One Health Lens to Mitigating Vehicular Impacts on Marine Mammals

Marine vehicles play an important role in Newfoundland and Labrador’s (NL) economy, transportation, and essential services. However, they also pose significant threats to humans, marine mammals, and the environment via collisions, noise and/or light pollution, habitat destruction, emissions, and water contamination. These impacts are deeply interconnected, contributing to a complex and evolving wicked problem. Conservation efforts in NL, including grassroots initiatives and government regulations, reflect strong community interest but often lack enforcement mechanisms, long-term support, and measurable outcomes. Applying the One Health perspective highlights the value of community-informed, interdisciplinary approaches that address the complex and overlapping impacts of marine traffic, guiding the development of sustainable solutions for humans, marine mammals, and the environment.