The following is a letter sent today from Cumbrian resident Anita Stirzaker to the Marine Management Organisation who are about to make a decision any day on the seismic blasting plan in the Irish Sea......
Dear Marine Management Organisation,
I am writing to object to the Marine Management Organisation giving approval to the plan by Nuclear Waste Services to airgun blast the Irish Sea. I believe the MMO are about to make a decision any day now.
There has been huge opposition with a petition of over 45,000 signatures which I have also signed. There would be disastrous impacts on marine life everything from whales to plankton would be impacted and the impacts would be widespread far beyond the test area. Radioactive Waste Management Ltd and Nuclear Waste Services have avoided Environmental Impact Assessments by applying for an exemption under "scientific research." This is not for scientific research it is for a limited company, Radioactive Waste Management to deliver a deep geological nuclear waste dump under the Irish Sea bed.
The developers have not I believe made any attempt to consider the impact of their seismic blasting plan on the numerous scuba diving sites around the Irish Sea. July is a peak time for scuba diving and there are many commercial scuba diving clubs and businesses in Cumbria, the Isle of Man, Scotland and Ireland.
The following is from the Diving Medical Advisory Committee who updated their advice in 2020 to acknowledge evidence of significant adverse effects: