NOAA
WAN has received information directly from a source in South Africa that an alert has been issued that “Seismic blasting off the Eastern Cape Coast has begun.”
As a result, the notification advised that people should be watchful for any disoriented mammals and fish washing ashore.
How can this happen?
Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS) has reportedly been granted a reconnaissance permit by the Department of Mineral Resources, facilitated by the Petroleum Agency of South Africa, to undertake a seismic survey program.
This covers a large area of the South and East Coasts, extending roughly between Mossel Bay and Port Edward.
The vessel used for the seismic blasting, the M/V SANCO ATLANTIC, reportedly will not be surveying within 15km of the coastline and 25km in certain places.
The survey is anticipated to be approximately 4.5 months in duration.
The Center for Biological Diversity explains that seismic exploration surveys generate the loudest human sounds in the ocean, short of those made by explosives.
“The blasts, which can reach more than 250 decibels and be heard for miles, can cause hearing loss in marine mammals, disturb essential behaviors such as feeding and breeding, mask communications between individual whales and dolphins, and reduce catch rates of commercial fish,” the Center states on its website.
