Oil and Gas Exploration, bad news for our coastline and Marine Life

Oil and Gas exploration has been earmarked for the entire coastline of South Africa through operation Phakisa, a project launched by president Zuma, to use our oceans as a resource for offshore oil & gas drilling. This has the potential to produce petroleum along our coastline and create mess by producing other toxic substances including mercury, lead, arsenic and barium. These toxins are devastating for the health of fish, wildlife and the people who live and feed off of the coast.

The Oil and Gas activities start with seismic testing. Seismic surveys have been found to kill fish eggs and larvae and impair the hearing and health of fish, making them vulnerable to predators and leaving them unable to catch prey, find mates or communicate with each other. These disturbances disrupt important migratory patterns, pushing marine life away from their natural habitat. In addition, seismic surveys have been implicated in whale beaching and stranding incidents.

And this is only the beginning, if these tests come back positive and Oil deposits are found, offshore oil rigs will be erected and our oceans and its marine life will be at great risk to oil spills. This will spell disaster for those who eke a livelihood on the coast of South Africa. Therefore, we are calling for fishermen, bed and breakfast owners, small business owners, surfers, all those that have a love for the ocean and care for its marine life, to join us at our awareness meeting we will be holding in Scottburgh on the 14^th of November 2017. 

The meeting will be hosted at Scottburgh Town Hall at 17:00.

Dr. Jennifer Olbers of Ezemvelo Wildlife will be presenting on the dangers and impacts seismic surveys have on the ocean and its marine life. Jennifer has been working closely with us to ensure this message is spread to as many coastal towns and communities as possible. Samuel Chademana the climate and energy campaign manager at f groundWork will also  present at the meeting on the challenges both people, mammal and business will face along the entire coastline  His talk  on the socio economic impacts of Oil and Gas exploration in the parts of Africa where it has caused destruction will very enlightening for everyone .

We urge all those who eke a livelihood from the coastline of Kwa Zulu Natal as well as those who have a love and respect for our ocean and its marine life to join us and listen to our message regarding the devastating impacts of oil and gas exploration. We are better united and nothing can proceed with speed if we are all involved to stop this destruction!

Date: 14 November 2017

Time: 17:00

Venue: Scottburgh Town Hall

Contact: Chadley Joseph – 031 461 1991/ Cell 0795011773 or chadley@sdceango.co.za

(SDCEA Project Officer)