Rain no damper on protest parade
PLETTENBERG BAY - Even the rain could not dampen the spirits of more than 200 protesters who are very unhappy about the approval given for seismic blasting in the area. The area affected stretches from Plettenberg Bay to Gqeberha.
The crowd gathered on Central Beach in Plettenberg Bay on Saturday 9 December to express their displeasure. Braving the rain showers with umbrellas, they waved their posters and continued shouting "No to seismic blasting!" for almost an hour.
In a show of solidarity people from Knysna, Plettenberg Bay and Sedgefield joined a national protest on Global Day of Action to stop the seismic blasting and drilling for fossil fuels along along South Africa's coastlines. The national protest was observed from the West Coast to Cape Town, Plettenberg Bay, Gqeberha, Durban and even Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Twenty-seven organisations participated in the protests including the Plettenberg Bay Community Environment Forum, Green Connection, Oceans Not Oil, Greenpeace Africa, Nature's Valley Trust, Tsitsikamma Fishers Forum, Wessa Garden Route and the SAFC - South African Fishers Collective. A number of other petitions have been organised and groups have encouraged objectors to make their voices heard, providing guidelines on how to lodge objections before the 12 December deadline.
Impacts on human, marine life
A media release on behalf of the organisations said communities, environmental activists, civil society organisations and legal experts have expressed concern that the proper processes were not followed and about the lack of public consultation in the approval process.
"Of particular concern is the impact that these surveys will have on the livelihoods of small-scale fishing communities and those in the tourism sector; marine life such as turtles, fish, whales and plankton, as well as local coastal economies that are founded on healthy marine environments."
International support for protest
The World Cetacean Alliance has added its voice to the protest, fully supporting Plettenberg Bay Whale Heritage Area's stance against seismic testing. "[We] will continue to advocate for its prohibition to safeguard the well-being of cetaceans and the rich biodiversity that relies on the health of our oceans," said Harry Eckman, CEO of the World Cetacean Alliance.
The Plettenberg Bay Whale Heritage Area, an NPO, also strongly objected to what it said is "an urgent and critical situation that poses a severe threat to the ecological, cultural, and economic well-being of Plettenberg Bay".
'Devastation'
It said multiple studies around the world have provided strong evidence of the detrimental impact caused by seismic surveys on cetaceans.
"Devastation to our coastline will be horrific! Causing loss of marine life, loss of economy and resultant social ills," said Tony Lubner, director of Ocean Blue in
Plettenberg Bay, in an information email.
Lubner said the seismic testing will take place "off our immediate coastline of Plett and all the way to PE (Gqeberha)".
It will start in January 2024, covering over 12 000km, with a UK-based offshore vessel blasting sound bites every few seconds, 24 hours a day, seven days a week for five months. "[The blasts are] almost as loud as an atomic bomb, and will travel underwater for thousands of kilometres decimating marine life along the way," Lubner said.
The seismic testing has been approved by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, to be executed by CGG (a UKbased surveying company).