Louisiana Seismic Testing Stopped After Dead, Sick Dolphins Found

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — With sick and dead dolphins turning up along Louisiana's coast, federal regulators are curbing an oil and natural gas exploration company from using seismic equipment that sends out underwater pulses known to disturb marine mammals.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has told Global Geophysical Services Inc. to not conduct deep-penetration seismic surveys until May, when the bottlenose dolphin calving season ends. The agency says the surveys are done with air-guns that the emit sounds that could disrupt mother and calf bonding and mask "important acoustic cues."

The company said it laid off about 30 workers because of the restriction, which it called unnecessary.

But environmental groups suing BOEM over the use of underwater seismic equipment say restrictions should be extended to surveyors across the Gulf of Mexico.

The new limit on exploration highlights the friction over oil drilling in the Gulf since the April 20, 2010 blowout of a BP PLC well that resulted in the death of 11 workers and the nation's largest offshore oil spill in the nation's history.

After the 2010 spill, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Center for Biological Diversity sued to get curbs placed on underwater seismic surveys. The environmental groups argued they harm marine mammals and that the federal government violated animal protection laws after it declared in 2004 that the surveys were safe.

The government is in settlement talks with those environmental groups, according to court documents.

"Imagine dynamite going off in your neighborhood for days, months on end," said Michael Jasny, a senior policy analyst at the NRDC. "That's the situation these animals are facing."

Jasny said the restriction placed on Global Geophysical was a good sign, but far from enough.

In its ruling, the federal agency said it was concerned that seismic surveys could affect marine mammals, and even cause them to lose their hearing.

Amy Scholik, a fisheries biologist with NOAA, said it was unknown what kind of effects air-guns have on bottlenose dolphins, but she said there was concern about possible effects on dolphin calves because they are vulnerable to stresses. She added that whales in Alaska have been shown to change migration routes because of seismic surveys.

George Ioup, a physics professor at the University of New Orleans studying the effects of air-guns on marine mammals, said the verdict was out on the effects of air-guns on mammals. He said BOEM seemed to be ruling "on the side of caution."

"Proving there is an effect, I don't know if that has been done," he said. "I don't think the answer is overwhelmingly simple."

The air-guns are towed at low speeds behind a survey ship and emit high-intensity, low-frequency sound waves to find geological layers. Seismic surveying is essential to drillers because they tell them where to drill and not drill.

The government also relies on the seismic data to know where it's safe to drill and to determine how much it should charge for leasing offshore blocks to oil and gas companies.

Marc Lawrence, Global Geophysical's vice president in the Gulf region, said the seismic surveys do not pose a danger to marine mammals.

"We see no hazard to them whatsoever," Lawrence said. As proof, he said dolphins routinely ride along with ships when they are conducting surveys.

He said the restriction covers an area that ranges out to about 20 miles off the Louisiana coast. He called BOEM's restriction unprecedented. His company is searching for overlooked reservoirs in areas along the central Louisiana coast: Grand Isle, Timbalier island, the West Delta and south Pelto.

This is the same area where government scientists say they have found sick and dead dolphins.

From February 2010, NOAA has reported 180 dolphin strandings in the three parishes that surround Barataria Bay — Jefferson, Plaquemines and Lafourche — or about 18 percent of the 1,000 estimated dolphins in the bay.

Last month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it had found 32 dolphins in the bay underweight, anemic and showing signs of liver and lung disease. Nearly half had low levels of stress hormones that help with stress response, metabolism and immune function.

Lori Schwacke, a NOAA scientist, said the dolphins' hormone problems could not definitely be tied to the oil spill but were "consistent with oil exposure."

Over the same period of time, NOAA says 714 dolphins and whales have been found stranded from the Florida Panhandle to the Texas state line, with 95 percent of those mammals found dead. Normally, the region sees 74 reported dolphin deaths a year.

Also on HuffPost:

From our partners

• Oklahoma Tornado Shows Progress In Weather Warnings - Climate Central
• Shopping Accounts For How Many Miles Traveled In U.S.? - Mother Nature Network
• Widespread Greenland Melting A Sign Of Things To Come - Climate Central

Comments

[Sunny White]

04:16 PM on 04/04/2012

Despite the cruelty and indifference humans inflict upon nature and animals, I know in my heart the vast majority of human beings DO care, and mean NO HARM. The bond between us and the natural world is undeniable, and LOVE is ever present. The time has now come, politically, for good people to demand environmental protection and species conservation. We can no longer remain complacent when oil companies are destroying the planet, and we can no longer turn our backs on animals in need of compassion. We must rise against animal cruelty! I also believe in my heart that that is human's true purpose. To act as protectors. Why else would nature have given us our great imagination, ingenuity, and capacity for language? We are meant to protect the innocent that cannot protect themselves. We must return to a state of dignity and respect for our natural world.

[hoosiergreen]

09:08 AM on 04/04/2012

At what point do reasoning, empathetic human beings think it's NOT okay to destroy the earth and its species in pursuit of energy and profit?

[Camurria]

08:04 AM on 04/04/2012

""We see no hazard to them whatsoever," Lawrence said. As proof, he said dolphins routinely ride along with ships when they are conducting surveys." -------- Yes Dolphins do like to ride the waves created by the bow of the ships cutting through the water. But they are nowhere near the ship when the airguns are firing. It's an absolute lie to say that they are. Anybody who's ever been on the deck of a geophysical survey ship can tell you that. Who knows the tolerance of marine life to that constant pounding every minute of the airguns? It's probably a guess at this point. The low frequency energy waves emitted by airguns can be ducted through thermocline layers for miles with little attenuation. A layoff of about 30 is probably equal to one survey ships crew.

[Cydsterie]

02:54 AM on 04/04/2012

Dying dolphins is an absolute tragedy. These creatures are so sensitive and intellegent. I hope they will survive us (humans [it is things like this that make me feel shame in my humanity]).

[chompie]

06:28 PM on 04/03/2012

This is beyond sickening. Money over the lives of innocent beings.

[ExcuseMeMister]

12:34 PM on 04/03/2012

This article JUST in from Discovery News:
http://news.discovery.com/earth/hundred-of-dolphins-dying-mysteriously-in-gulf-120403.html

Will the sealife make it?
NOW that is the question that should be posed.
*sigh*

[PartisanLove]

06:51 PM on 04/03/2012

so sad, but this has nothing to do with a massive oil spill and chemicals used to clean it up, no, no it couldnt be. Since it cant be absolutely proven, it must not be true they will say. Same with all the 911 rescuers getting cancer and lung problems.

[ExcuseMeMister]

09:59 PM on 04/03/2012

I know and understand exactly what you are saying. It is quite the shame that the "they" you speak of all stand to reap some sort of profit. "They" are also going to learn that money will not replace what is taken, nor can it truly purchase what "they" think is going to make them happy. I heard a Native American man once say that every animal on this planet knows much more than we do. It is wise to watch the wildlife. With that in mind, what is that saying is going to become of people?, and yes... .that also includes "they".

[GEEWIZ]

10:18 AM on 04/03/2012

Bio-fuel made from corn and sugar would collapse the need for oil. Up the mandate to 15% for ethanol in gasoline, and put American farmers back to work.

[chrimini3]

08:17 AM on 04/03/2012

I can only sit here and shake my head. No respect for life or the environment. It's all about the almighty dollar. It disgusts me.

[mudshark12]

02:02 AM on 04/03/2012

They knew it was calving season, yet they went ahead and ran their tests anyway, Global Geophysical Services Inc. just couldn't wait 30 days. They have NO regard for anything but making money.

"The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has told Global Geophysical Services Inc. to NOT conduct deep-penetration seismic surveys off the Louisiana coast UNTIL May when the bottlenose dolphin calving season ends. The agency says the surveys are done with air-guns that can disrupt mother and calf bonding."

Notice how " "The company" says it laid off about 30 workers because of the restriction, which it called unnecessary."

In other words they are unwilling to accept responsibility and wish to shift the blame. Very slippery, fishy and some might even say oily.

[Joeyjackal]

08:53 AM on 04/03/2012

This represents yet another case wherein profit motive supercedes moral imperative in the pursuit of short-term gains at the expense of others, in this case, another sentient species about which we ought to have more than a passing concern insofar as we're trepassing into their environment and nursery in this instance.

[kwaut lizard]

01:17 PM on 04/03/2012

... and whose health is a direct indication of how unhealthy our tampering with the environment has truly become.

Profits over People ... well people that care about other living organisms.

[olitenup]

09:21 PM on 04/02/2012

These oil and gas people make me sick.

[snowballinhell]

10:42 PM on 04/02/2012

They have no respect for life - that which gets in their way of wholesale and wanton plundering of the world's oil and gas irrespective of the impact they cause. Wish we were Brazil where they recently forbade the foreign officers of Chevron to leave the country due to the ongoing oil spill at a Chevron well.

[olitenup]

12:48 AM on 04/03/2012

I saw that. The CEO of BP is now a safety guy for an international mining company that wants to mine copper in Northern MN. It is horrifying to think what kind of man would hire him and how can the people trust one single word they say?