GENTLE GIANT:
The Wildlands Conservation Trust has put the spotlight on marine seismic surveying. The surveys have been proven to cause hearing impairment, physiological changes and tissue damage to marine life; and in some extreme cases death.
SOUTH Africa has a network of 23 marine protected areas (MPAs) covering only 0.4% of the oceans around the country.
This is far short of the global target of at least 10% protection of the oceans by 2020 – to which South Africa has committed as a member of the UN.
The Wildlands Conservation Trust has put the spotlight on marine seismic surveying in efforts to highlight the effects of the oil and gas industry on the ocean, and call for the urgent protection of these sites.
This involves directing high-powered sound waves, in the form of an acute, high-intensity noise via an airgun towards the sea floor.
The returning sound waves are read by sensors attached to streamers which are trailed up to 12 nautical miles behind the vessel, interpreting the patterns which bounce back as changes in geological formations and structures.
The sounds are blasted at 10-second intervals which can travel over 4 000km and can be ongoing for up to 24 hours a day, months at a time.
The trust says seismic surveys have been proven to cause hearing impairment (temporary or permanent), physiological changes (such as stress responses) and tissue damage to marine life; and in some extreme cases even death.
In addition to the potential economic risks of offshore mineral exploration is the issue of large-scale environmental decimation.
Unlike on land, factors like the waves and whales cannot be kept out of the mineral exploration area with a fence, notes the trust.
WILDOCEANS’ Khalid Mather said drilling into the sea floor as part of oil exploration produced intense vibrations which had a negative impact on marine life living on or near the sea floor.
“Another major concern is linked to the disposal of highly toxic production waste caused by the hydrocarbon drilling. Small oil leaks usually occur during the production and transport of crude oil and pollutes the waters surrounding the rig.”