STOP THE DRILLING OF UNDERWATER OIL WELLS NEAR HERMANUS, AN IMPORTANT WHALE MIGRATION AREA
STOP THE DRILLING OF UNDERWATER OIL WELLS NEAR HERMANUS, AN IMPORTANT WHALE MIGRATION AREA
Why this petition matters
URGE THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT TO STOP THE DRILLING OF UNDERWATER OIL WELLS NEAR HERMANUS, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WHALE BREEDING SITES IN THE WORLD
Hermanus, is a seaside town situated southeast of Cape Town in South Africa’s Western Cape Province.
Hermanus is renowned as one of the best whale watching sites in the world. From July to November each year, visitors can watch dozens of whales close to the rocky shore perfectly visible from land.
The Hermanus Walker Bay Marine Protected Area is considered a whale sanctuary and an important refuge for, among other keystone species, three different types of these magnificent marine mammals with their newly born calves.
TotalEnergies EP South Africa, Shell and PetroSA have proposed to drill five wells to extract oil and gas, from an area about 35 nautical miles off this marine paradise and along 120 nautical miles of critically endangered unique benthic habitat and near other five Marine Protected Areas (between 20 and 80 miles away).
The so-called block 567 is also about 30 nautical miles away from Boulders in the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area, which is home of the endangered African Penguin, and from Seal Island and its colony of about 70 000 Cape fur seals.
This area is unique for its kelp forests, which provides refuge to a number of species and which has, amongst other things, been featured in the documentary “My Octopus Teacher” for its beauty and intact ecosystems.
Before the proposed project can commence, Total-Shell and PetroSA will require the approval of the impact assessments from the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, and, in appeal, from the Department of Fishery Forestry and the Environment (DFFE).
The scoping report has already indicated that there will be predicted impacts and risks, this will include: contribution to greenhouses gases (climate change) to reduction in air quality, reduction in water quality, displacement of fauna from important feeding and breeding sites, physical seabed and benthic fauna / habitat disturbance, destruction of eggs and larvae, underwater continuous drilling noise, disturbance of marine mammals, reduction in fish populations, displacement of fish, drilling near a WWII explosive dump, drilling in possible radioactive grounds, discharge, spills, loss of equipment at sea and well blow-out. Risks will also include oiling of coastal habitats and marine fauna and reduction in income for secondary and tertiary sectors that support the current vivid tourism local industry, the fishing and other coastal active economies.
The DRAFT ESIA Report opened for comment today 24th October 2022 and closes on the 7th December 2022.
The EMS Foundation hereby urges you, to let Total, Shell and PetroSA know that you strongly oppose this project.
Please write to TEEPSA-567@slrconsulting.com and comment and if applicable your objections to the proposed drilling of blocks 567.
For further information:
https://oceansnotoil.org/2022/04/19/another-seismic-planned-deep-water-blocks-5-6-7-in-the-atlantic-off-cape-town/
South Africa is not taking its commitments to reduce the extractions of hydrocarbons seriously.
PLEASE URGENTLY SIGN AND SHARE THIS PETITION
Decision-Makers
GWEDE MANTASHEMINISTER MINERAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY