Seabed mining threat to humpback whales

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Seabed mining threat to humpback whales

Tuesday, 07 July 2009 20:51

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Credits: Wikipedia Whale migration paths sit squarely in the way of drilling and air gun blasts trying to find coal reserves under the ocean in a plan awaiting Federal Government approval. Miners are seeking to explore 6000 sq/km of seabed coal deposits in Commonwealth waters stretching from Newcastle to Wollongong. If enough coal is found, an experimental method would be used to convert it to gas and pipe it away.

But coastal councils, whale experts and conservationists have called for a total ban on all offshore mining.

Australian Marine Conservation Society director Darren Kindleysides, a whale expert, said the protected species could be blinded and deafened by the noise of exploration.

"They fire a huge underwater air gun - the noise is louder than a jumbo jet taking off - and they measure the way it bounces back to find coal," Mr Kindleysides said.

Wally Franklin of The Oceania Project said research showed that mining stressed whales and could lead to whales beaching themselves.

Mining would stress dolphins, sperm whales, killer whales and whale calves, sensitive to noise.

The final plans are before Federal Natural Resources Minister Martin Ferguson, awaiting his final approval.

Wyong, Newcastle, Gosford and Lake Macquarie councils are driving a letter campaign to Primary Industry Minister Ian MacDonald, hoping he will pressure his Federal counterparts to end the underwater mining.

(From news.com.au, Newcastle, New South Wales, by Vikki Campion)