A proposed plan to use air guns to conduct seismic blasting activities in the Bass Strait has been blasted by scientists since it could seriously damage marine ecosystems and whales in the area between the Australian mainland and Tasmania.
The proposed plan is from Schlumberger, the oilfield service company, in conjunction with energy data provider TGS. And the proposed blasting area would cover a massive 7.7-million-hectare/19-milllion-acre region of the strait.
The blasting would generate blasts louder than 250 decibels every 10 seconds or so and would last for months. According to stakeholders, this phenomenal noise pollution could have a devastating impact on a wide range of marine life in the area.
Many stakeholders have requested that the regulatory authority NOPSEMA reject the proposed blasting plan due to its potential negative impact.
You can check out a video on the effects of blasting on Cetaceans below.
