TALKING POINT Seismic tests set to Jolt scallops
Plans for more seismic surveys in Bass Strait are a major concern for Tassie scallop fishers, writes Bob Lister
TBased on the 2010 experiences in we know any path scallops in the Beach/Prion of the die seismic event will delayed mortality of
HE Bass Strait Central Zone Scallop Fishery produces some of the best scallops in the world. Harvested from deep, cool, clean waters by Tasmanian vessels, landed at Tasmanian ports, processed locally and with meats sold as fresh or chilled “Bass Strait” or “Tassie scallops” they are consumed by delighted locals.
Tourists seek them out and love them and we are fortunate to have such a fabulous and well managed iconic commercial scallop fishery so close to home.
So any actions that impact the Bass Strait scallop resource that our fishermen and processors rely on for regeneration and harvesting is of great concern.
In 2010 Geoscience Victoria undertook an intense 2D seismic survey program over Greenhouse Gas Storage Blocks in eastern Bass Strait which crossed over mature commercial scallop beds that had been identified after fishery research surveys in previous years.
Despite repeated assurances that impact would be minimal, scallops in the area died from delayed mortality and the estimated loss to the scallop industry was 24,000 tonnes of scallop shells worth about $70m, a devastating blow to fishermen, processors and the marketplace as well as regional communities in Tasmania and Victoria.
There were, as forensic evidence, masses of dead scallop shells and all other shellfish species on the seabed also died, however scallop beds outside the seismic direct impact zone remained in a very healthy condition. It has taken until now, 10 years later, for scallop beds in the seismic impact area to recover.
The reality that seismic surveys kill scallops and other shellfish contrasts with the optimistic and fingers-crossed predictions from groups choosing to ignore their corporate responsibilities to others.
The latest proposed marine seismic event has been put forward by Beach Energy Limited.
The Beach Energy/Prion proposal is a 40-to-50-day 3D program planned for October or later about 75km east of King Island just west of the Yolla gas platform in Bass Strait. The area to be covered is 880sq km in waters 50m to 80m deep. There will be 76 sail lines 300m apart and the airgun arrays are to be strategically arranged to direct energy vertically downwards to the seabed where scallops live with the massive source pulses occurring 120 times in each kilometre.
We certainly do not want to lose any scallop stocks to another seismic event as is now proposed by Beach and we definitely do not want its plan to proceed but, if it must happen, then we quite reasonably require full compensation for any scallop stock losses.
We have discussed our concerns with Beach representatives and they have agreed in principle to engage consultancy firm Fishwell to do an impact study to determine if seismic events seriously impact scallop stocks in the southern sector of the seismic area only. This plan includes control sites and impact sites and would be done immediately before seismic activity and about four months after the event.
The obvious result is that, yes, seismic events will have killed all scallops in its path due to delayed mortality, but it does nothing to address the magnitude of the losses to the largest commercial fishery in the area.
Surely a responsible organisation would want to know the enormity of the impact its activity would cause to other parties who have legal rights to operate in the same area? At this point Beach has not given us firm written commitments that our losses would be fully recognised and compensated despite proposing to spend millions of dollars on its seismic plan.
As the scallop fleet harvests scallops from the highest possible catch rate areas the many vessels have given scant attention to the proposed seismic impact zone in recent years, however we do know there are scallop stocks in this general area and based on the experiences in 2010 we know any scallops in the path of the Beach/Prion seismic event will
die of delayed mortality. We have repeatedly asked Beach to do a biomass survey of the whole seismic area to determine the quantity of scallops in the impact zone so we can together calculate the tonnage and economic losses four months or so after the event.
Beach assesses the consequences to the scallop populations as “minor”, however without a biomass survey it cannot have any idea what its impact in economic terms will be.
In our mind it is irresponsible to undertake an action that will kill scallops without before knowing the magnitude of that impact.
Beach has stated that its position is that there should be no economic loss by third parties as a result of its activities. By this it means individual scallop fishermen could lodge a substantiated claim after the event for the loss of income from the seismic activity.
This shows a complete lack of understanding about how the scallop fishery operates. We have explained to Beach that this would not be possible because fishermen would move to other productive areas if scallops are affected by the seismic survey.
Beach has lodged a 551page Environment Plan with the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority as the independent statutory authority for offshore oil and gas operations but has not yet acknowledged it would be responsible for considerable scallop deaths and that losses should be fairly compensated to holders of legal statutory fishing rights.
The scallop losses will mean cohort/s will not be able to reproduce in the future so any losses will likely be felt for many years and, depending on the timing of the seismic activity, vulnerable scallop larvae losses are likely to be massive.
There will be an impact on other fisheries such as school and gummy shark, finfish, octopus and squid to different degrees but the immediate and long-term effect on these species is largely unknown. What we do know is that seismic activity has decimated fish stocks off eastern Victoria.
There is a Senate inquiry on marine seismic surveys due to be tabled in federal parliament in the next few months which will likely recommend that the precautionary principle should apply.
The proposed Beach seismic plan is a major worry to our scallop industry. This issue should be of concern to all lovers of scallops.