Today an urgent interdict to try to stop the seismic surveys along the Eastern Cape's Wild Coast, an area renowned for its high marine biodiversity, was heard amid growing protest against Shell and the carnage this will cause to the environment.

Shell’s vessel, Amazon Warrior was meant to be begin seismic surveying today, and will work, for five months, drag up to 48 air guns methodically through 6,011km² of ocean surface, firing extremely loud shock wave emissions that penetrate through 3km of water and 40km into the Earth’s crust below the seabed.

The use of seismic waves could have a devastating impact on the health of marine life, and if successful, the operations would potentially disrupt the communities that depend on eco-tourism and fishing for their livelihoods. 

There is no evidence, scientific or other, that seismic blasting will not harm the extreme biodiversity of the Wild Coast and possibly create damage, confusion and even death to the many species of life in the ocean.

At a time when there is such great emphasis on greener energy, the South African government, which attended COP26, has agreed to go ahead with this potential environmental disaster in a search for fossil fuels.

Nothing good can come off it!