Figure 3.87: Fish and human hearing: audiogram curves give the faintest sounds that can be heard at each frequency, and fall in two main categories: hearing generalists like skate, salmon and cod, with medium hearing ability, and hearing specialists like Atlantic herring and gold fish. Hearing generalist species have a narrower hearing frequency range (less than 1,500 Hz) and higher hearing threshold (above 100 dB) than hearing specialist fish (up to 8 kHz and down to 60 dB). The level at which fish respond to a sound stimulus can be significantly above the detection threshold. The human auditory system is most sensitive to waterborne sound at frequencies from 400 Hz to 2,000 Hz, with a peak at approximately 800 Hz and at a sound pressure level of 67 dB. The most sensitive frequency range is also the range having the greatest potential for hearing damage.
