An Australian Institute of Marine Life study has found no evidence that seismic surveys impact marine sea life.
An Australian Institute of Marine Life study has found no evidence that seismic surveys impact marine sea life.
On July 19, the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), with input from research scientists, fishing associations, fisheries research agencies, seismic technology experts, seismic contractors, and oil and gas representatives, published a paper, A large-scale field experiment finds no evidence that a seismic survey impacts demersal fish fauna in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
To accurately capture the impacts of realistic survey operations, AIMS conducted an eight-month long study within a 2500 km2 study area using BGP Explorer, a commercial survey vessel, as the seismic source. The study employed acoustic telemetry to track the movements of red emperor fish within the survey area, as well as baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS) to assess movements, feeding patterns, and abundance of the entire demersal fish community. A total of 135 species were detected during BRUVS surveys, 35 of which are commercially important. This study is the first to utilize a dedicated seismic survey vessel to measure noise and vibration from the survey concurrently with potential impacts on fish.
The authors noted: ’Multiple lines of evidence from our study suggested that seismic surveys have little to no impact on the composition, abundance, behaviour, and movement of demersal fishes in the coastal shelf environment off northwest Australia.’
Results from the BRUVS analyses indicated no changes in movements, feeding patterns, or abundance of the entire demersal fish community following exposure to the seismic survey.
Dr Alex Loureiro, IAGC’s director of marine environment and biology said: ‘This research fills a critical knowledge gap regarding the potential effects of seismic surveys on fish species, and should serve to mitigate and allay concerns of stakeholders regarding the use of seismic surveys.
‘Seismic surveys are a critical first step to energy development, used in applications ranging from oil and gas exploration to wind farm site selection. However, there are conflicting views regarding the potential impacts of surveys on fishes and whether commercial catches may be affected. While numerous studies have been published, the methodologies are typically not representative of real-world seismic survey activities due to the time and expense necessary to complete such a study, and the results have been contradictory and often difficult to interpret.
‘The study adds to the scientific evidence proving that seismic surveys have no negative impacts on marine life populations, including fish, and have been safely conducted for more than 60 years around the world.’
