Sea Horse Trust in The Guardian

[dgadee]

Oil firm bids to extend drilling off Dorset coast despite risk to marine life

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...despite-risk-to-marine-life-corallian-energy?

 

[oldharry]

He's been yapping about this for a while. Having told us he doesnt really know where seahorses go in the Winter, he now claims they winter close to this rig and its disturbing them. The claim it is in their winter habitat is about as specific as saying they are in the sea, so the rig ought not to be. Meantime he and his fellow protesters all turn up in their cars.... NIMBYism if there ever was!

However, there is a genuine issue here that the Rig was given permission to drill from November to February to minimise environmental and visual impacts, but only actually moved in earlier this month, quite near the end of its allocated time. Why? It was almost inevitable not having started exploration until nearly 3/4 of the way through the time allowed them, they would now seek an extension.

NGM claims there is a high likelihood of a blowout, which of course would be catastrophic for Poole Bay and well beyond. However the rig is doing a geological survey and there is no intention to bring hydrocarbons to the surface from it. They are exploring the extent of the Wych Farm oilfield and if sufficient oil is there it would be extracted by horizontal drilling from existing onshore facilities, as it already is. They simply want to know how far it is worth going.

 

[pvb]

Perhaps we could harvest seahorses and burn them to generate electricity?

 

[oldharry]

Perhaps we could harvest seahorses and burn them to generate electricity?

Surely we ought to be able to use all that hot air...

 

[AntarcticPilot]

He's been yapping about this for a while. Having told us he doesnt really know where seahorses go in the Winter, he now claims they winter close to this rig and its disturbing them. The claim it is in their winter habitat is about as specific as saying they are in the sea, so the rig ought not to be. Meantime he and his fellow protesters all turn up in their cars.... NIMBYism if there ever was!

However, there is a genuine issue here that the Rig was given permission to drill from November to February to minimise environmental and visual impacts, but only actually moved in earlier this month, quite near the end of its allocated time. Why? It was almost inevitable not having started exploration until nearly 3/4 of the way through the time allowed them, they would now seek an extension.

NGM claims there is a high likelihood of a blowout, which of course would be catastrophic for Poole Bay and well beyond. However the rig is doing a geological survey and there is no intention to bring hydrocarbons to the surface from it. They are exploring the extent of the Wych Farm oilfield and if sufficient oil is there it would be extracted by horizontal drilling from existing onshore facilities, as it already is. They simply want to know how far it is worth going.

I worked in the oil and Gas industry in the 1970s (before returning to academia), and I know that when drilling an exploration well they take enormous care to avoid blow-outs for their own sake! But a blow out is highly unlikely in this field; the oil has to be pumped out anyway. And as I have mentioned before, it happens that oil exploration in Dorset was something I was involved in in the 1970s.

 

[Resolution]

I had a nightmare last night. I was marooned on a desert island with NGM and Brent Swain.......:nightmare:

 

[Mister E]

I had a nightmare last night. I was marooned on a desert island with NGM and Brent Swain.......:nightmare:

The nightmare is which one to eat first. Then you would have to suffer the other twittering on to preserve your food source for longer.

 

[lpdsn]

I had a nightmare last night. I was marooned on a desert island with NGM and Brent Swain.......:nightmare:

Surely it would be worse if you were marooned with just one or the other.

When there's both you could just tell NGM that BS designs boats that damage coral reefs then head off down the other end of the island pretty smartish leaving them to it.

 

[captainhaddock]

In the Guardian article, NGM is quoted as saying that "The noise from the rig causes them stress and activates diseases. The sediment from the drilling makes it difficult for them to feed.” How does he "know" this? Causes stress? Noise activated diseases? Feeding difficulties? Is there any scientific backing for his claims?

 

[rotrax]

In the Guardian article, NGM is quoted as saying that "The noise from the rig causes them stress and activates diseases. The sediment from the drilling makes it difficult for them to feed.” How does he "know" this? Causes stress? Noise activated diseases? Feeding difficulties? Is there any scientific backing for his claims?

No. As per usual, its total bollocks. He is making it up.

AFAIK, the container port at Tilbury has lots of seahorses around, seen by the maintenance divers, and thats pretty noisy and has dirty water when the big ships props are turning.

 

[Seajet]

No. As per usual, its total bollocks. He is making it up.
.

:encouragement:

 

[bignick]

I rather liked the quote about the seahorses moving inland. I had a mental image of them galloping across the beach....

 

[oldharry]

In the Guardian article, NGM is quoted as saying that "The noise from the rig causes them stress and activates diseases. The sediment from the drilling makes it difficult for them to feed.” How does he "know" this? Causes stress? Noise activated diseases? Feeding difficulties? Is there any scientific backing for his claims?

There is a move afoot in Natural England to identify the effect of machinery noise on marine life in general. It is already established that even moderately powerful sonar can confuse confusion and distress to Whales and Dolphins to the extent that RN is said to turn off Sonar gear when cetaceans are in the vicinity. Sound carries much further underwater, and anyone who has scuba dived will be familiar with the sound of a mobo or outboard underwater. AFAIK they are still trying to prove that this is actually an issue. But enthusiasm so easily translates theory into fact, specially where the press is involved.

 

[Genoa]

A great Guardian-ism.... “ home to the UKs two seahorses” ..... now even I would be concerned if there where only two left!

 

[Mister E]

Surely it would be worse if you were marooned with just one or the other.

When there's both you could just tell NGM that BS designs boats that damage coral reefs then head off down the other end of the island pretty smartish leaving them to it.

Brilliant plan we just need an island to leave them on.

 

[Pete7]

Scotland has one, yes that one. Not lived on for 80 years other than for a few sheep.

 

[FlyingGoose]

There is a move afoot in Natural England to identify the effect of machinery noise on marine life in general. It is already established that even moderately powerful sonar can confuse confusion and distress to Whales and Dolphins to the extent that RN is said to turn off Sonar gear when cetaceans are in the vicinity. Sound carries much further underwater, and anyone who has scuba dived will be familiar with the sound of a mobo or outboard underwater. AFAIK they are still trying to prove that this is actually an issue. But enthusiasm so easily translates theory into fact, specially where the press is involved.

Hi not to stop the discussion, but it is well documented scientifically that powerful sonar and noise do affect any sea animal that will use echo location and sonar , as their ears and sensitivity to these noises is acute , but I do not think this will worry seahorses in the sense that then all fish would be affected certainly those with swim bladders.
But they do use dynamite in certain countries to create shock waves that stun fish to the surface , but again this is very site specific and is targeted , so unless right next to the noise it would not affect them. just thoughts I know nothing about seahorses

 

[Resolution]

Scotland has one, yes that one. Not lived on for 80 years other than for a few sheep.

A possible extract from Wikisomething or other:

Starting in 1986 a determined effort was made to decontaminate the island: 280 tonnes of formaldehyde solution diluted in sea water was sprayed over all 196 hectares of the island and the worst-contaminated topsoil around the dispersal site was removed. A flock of sheep was then placed on the island and remained healthy. Ten pregnant sea-horses from Studland Bay were released in a cove on the East of the island and established yet another successful sea horse colony.

On 24 April 1990, after 48 years of quarantine and four years after the solution was applied, junior defence minister Michael Neubert visited the island and announced its safety by removing the warning signs.[9] On 1 May 1990, the island was repurchased by the heirs of the original owner for the original sale price of £500.[11]

 

[oldharry]

Hi not to stop the discussion, but it is well documented scientifically that powerful sonar and noise do affect any sea animal that will use echo location and sonar , as their ears and sensitivity to these noises is acute , but I do not think this will worry seahorses in the sense that then all fish would be affected certainly those with swim bladders.
But they do use dynamite in certain countries to create shock waves that stun fish to the surface , but again this is very site specific and is targeted , so unless right next to the noise it would not affect them. just thoughts I know nothing about seahorses

One of Natural England's Senior Marine Advisors told me some years ago they were looking at potential disturbance to marine life from anthropogenic (human) noise, by which she meant engine noise and propellor whine from leisure boats. I have not seen any firm conclusions, but the latest report I can find, Natural England's NO0235 (Radford, Morley and Jones) suggests (P18) that there is no clear evidence of disturbance unless the sound source is nearby. It seems very few fish 'hear' in the sense we do, but their skins are sensitive to small pressure variations such as those produced by underwater sound, so if I understand it right they feel rather than 'hear' sounds. The report suggests that this does not seem to cause disturbance except in close proximity. Whichever, this report would suggest that NGMs claim noise from the rig will cause distress and disease in a range of local species is as Seajet says, total BS and BX and completely unsupported by current research. A familiar situation, but launched on his gullible and admiring supporters it is received without question. Makes a good Press story too!

Use of explosives to stun and catch fish isnt necessarily purely foreign either: I seem to remember Claude Greengrass in TV's Heartbeat using dynamite to poach Lord Ashfordley's Salmon! JNCC havea 'Marine Noise Registry' which records the effects of 'impulsive' noise in UK waters: Pile driving, use of explosives for construction, demolition and such like as well as military and Naval explosives are studied and recorded. This does seem mainly to deal with noise at a level which on both land and sea would have the potential for acoustic damage or death of any life in close proximity.

 

[rotrax]

I can assure readers of this thread that the extensive and noisy piledriving in Portsmouth Harbour over the last few years getting the lights and dock ready for the big aircraft carrier, plus the ammo loading dock mid harbour, had little effect on visible sealife in the harbour.

Mackerel and school bass were still driving shoals of fry to the surface all over the harbour during the very noisy work.

If we told NGM that lots of seahorses had been seen near a noxious sewer outfall, do you think he would fall for it and don his fins and snorkel?