SEA Blog,

A paper was on responsible practices for conducting seismic surveys in environmentally sensitive areas was published recently in Aquatic Mammals. The lead author was Dr. Doug Nowacek from Duke University’s Marine Laboratory, who is a close colleague of SEA’s president Brandon Southall who was also an author on the paper. A copy of the .pdf is available with an email to Brandon.Southall@sea-inc.net

An IUCN press release on the paper is available at <http://www.iucn.org/?14297> and the first part of the release appears below:

Keeping Whales Safe in Sound

A unique collaboration between the oil and gas industry, scientists and conservationists proves a way to minimize seismic survey impacts on rare whales and other species. A step-by-step guide to reducing impacts on whales and other marine species during seismic sea floor surveys has been developed by experts with IUCN’s Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel (WGWAP)and Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd. In the study, published in the journal Aquatic Mammals, the authors present the most thorough, robust and practical approach to minimizing and monitoring the risk of harm to vulnerable marine species when intense sounds are used to survey the sea floor primarily in the search for oil and gas.

Articles on the paper appeared in various news agencies and papers around the world – here are a few links:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/01/20/us-seismic-idUKBREA0J0K720140120

http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2014/01/16/Success-reported-in-protecting-whales-during-seismic-oil-gas-surveys/UPI-60191389906711/

http://www.newsdaily.com/europe/1d119e2f4795cb6b13ba3170489de370/conservationists-big-oil-join-forces-to-help-whales

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/business/article/safeguards-shield-sakhalin-whales/493030.html

http://www.news.yahoo.com/study-recommends-measures-protect-whales-oil-gas-seismic-001248927.html

http://www.weather.com/news/science/whales-and-pursuit-oil-when-scientists-and-big-oil-team-20140119