Seismic surveying is non-threatening says President International Association of Geophysical Contractors Nikki Martin
Recent months have brought much discussion and debate about the effects of seismic surveying along the Atlantic Coast as the federal government has approved consideration of permits for seismic operations. Numerous allegations from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) assert that seismic surveys are harmful to marine life and threaten fishing and tourism. These allegations are simply false. Read the rest here 19:50
My challenge to all the devoted advocates for seismic blasting as a “harmless research tool”: put on some SCUBA gear and hang out below the seismic blasting research vessel, then give us a first hand report on the harmlessness of this method of exploration. (Now watch the oil/gas trolls swarm in response to that one… like Peter Drake)
Seismic Testing is primary to the exploration process for OIL/Gas drilling and fracking. Some point and click perusing reveals the “Stalking Horse” purpose of articles such as this from Nikki Martin.
Nikki Martin is president of the International Association of Geophysical Contractors (IAGC)
From their website:
“IAGC is the international trade association representing companies that provide geophysical services, geophysical data acquisition, seismic data ownership and licensing, geophysical data processing and interpretation, and associated service and product providers to the oil and gas industry.’
The chairman of the IAGC Board of Directors is also Chairman of Fairfield Nodal IAGC http://www.iagc.org/board-of-directors.html
Fairfield Nodal https://www.facebook.com/FairfieldNodal
Fairfield Nodal contracts to companies such as Total
Petrochemicals USA
Total https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Petrochemicals_USA
And petrochemical money buys a great deal of bogus “science” and publicity:
Seismic Testing is Non-Threatening: http://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/opinions/columns/article_59a3cdc4-378e-11e5-850d-8fd46b67ffd8.html?mode=story
Seismic Surveys and Fishing http://www.iagc.org/uploads/4/5/0/7/45074397/iagc_1_pager_fish_formatted_final(v03)_2014_09_29.pdf
I was disappointed to see yet another voice of Big Oil masking
the dangers of seismic airgun blasting in this column “Seismic surveying is non-threatening.”
Noise pollution is a serious threat to the health of our oceans. Many species depend on their hearing to survive; yet the introduction of artificial noises, such as ship traffic, has been interfering with marine animals’ ability to interact with their environment. Rivaled by nuclear explosions, seismic airguns penetrate the ocean floor with one of the loudest man-made sounds in the ocean. If passing ships are enough to hurt marine life, it stands to reason that a ship towing seismic airguns, firing every 10-15 seconds, for days to weeks on
end, would be much worse. In fact, earlier this year, 75 leading marine scientists sent a letter to President Obama on the impacts of seismic testing in the Atlantic. The scientists agree: seismic airgun testing is likely to have “significant, long-lasting, and widespread impacts on marine life.”
Studies from around the world have shown seismic airguns can effect marine life — from small fish eggs to the large, critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. After seismic testing was conducted in the waters off California, the rockfish fishery saw a 50 percent decline in profit. In British Columbia, similar decreased catch rates caused fishermen to seek compensation for their losses. Harbor porpoises have been observed exhibiting altered behavior fifty miles away from
seismic airgun arrays.Whales, whosepopulations are already alarmingly low, can be separated from calves and experience suppressed reproduction from being exposed to the traumatizing blasts. The government’s recovery plan for the Northwest Atlantic population of loggerhead sea turtles, one of six endangered sea turtle species in the U.S., specifically cites seismic surveys as a threat to their recovery.
Unlike representatives of Big Oil, who directly benefit from
this dirty and dangerous industry, the marine scientists referenced above seek only to provide the best available science to those making decisions that affect our environment and communities. I agree the discussion about seismic testing should not include “gross exaggerations, misstatements, or misrepresentation of facts,” but ignoring science to say seismic testing is “non-threatening” does
all three.