The new year could see seismic testing for oil and gas exploration off the Southern Cape coast.
But, in the meantime, environmentalists have called on the public to make their voices heard to prevent a process they say would be detrimental to ocean life and could have far-reaching consequences for the local economy.
Earlier in November, the department of mineral resources and energy granted seismic exploration company CGG environmental authorisation to proceed with a speculative survey along the Agulhas Banks, and if its proposal goes unopposed, its operations could start as soon as January.
However, the Wildlife and Environment Society of Southern Africa (Wessa) believes not enough research has been done into the testing process and it could destroy the sensitive ecosystem along the coast, kill off small ocean life and have a devastating impact on the livelihoods of those dependent on the fishing industry.
An online petition was started on Monday and the public has until December 13 to add their names to the list should they wish to prevent the testing process from going ahead.
“This form of seismic testing kills plankton and turtle hatchlings, and will disrupt the spawning of kingklip and chokka in the affected area, as well as the annual sardine run,” Wessa Eastern Cape chair Gary Koekemoer said.
“This will have a devastating impact on the ocean food chain and, in turn, negatively impact larger ocean life like dolphins, sharks and whales.”
The speculative 3D seismic survey will see testing take place between 45km and 120km from the coastline between Gqeberha and Plettenberg Bay.
The process entails a device that will emit “a wall of sound” every few seconds, 24 hours a day, for about five months.
Testing will take place at depths of between 200m and 4,000m beneath the ocean’s surface.
“What is concerning is that very limited research has been done on the impact this type of testing could have on ocean life,” Koekemoer said.
“We know it will kill smaller organisms at the shallower depths, but we cannot say with certainty what will happen the deeper the sound travels.”
He said the testing period, between January and May, was outside the usual whale migration period.
However, if all the plankton and sardines were killed or chased off during testing, whales could be left without sustenance when their migration takes them past the Southern Cape.
“An entire sector of our economy will also be disrupted if fishermen no longer catch any chokka, kingklip and other ocean life attracted by the sardine run.”
Koekemoer said studies had indicated a global shift from gas and oil as primary fuel sources by 2030, making the entire seismic exploration process, and its far-reaching implications, an unnecessary exercise.
SLR Consulting, a company that specialises in sustainability studies and assessments, has been appointed by CGG to undertake the basic assessment process required for the environmental authorisation.
Its website also explained that anyone wanting to oppose the process had 20 days, starting on November 23, to submit their appeals and petitions to the department of mineral resources and energy.
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