Fishermen Hold Protest To Stop Seismic Testing
PORT HASTINGS - With seismic blasting imminent off the west coast of Cape Breton, fishermen made one last attempt to show their opposition by protesting at the Canso Causeway, Friday.
More than 60 fishermen carrying signs with messages including “CNSOPB Fish Killers,” and “Science not Seismic,” lined the stretch of road leading into the rotary near the causeway, slowing eastbound traffic entering the island for a brief time during the early afternoon.
With the seismic vessel GSI Admiral, contracted by Corridor Resources, already on site and awaiting a break in the weather before proceeding with the program, protesters knew there was likely little they could do to prevent it from going ahead.
“It’s a rally and show of support for the fishing industry,” said Osborne Burke, spokesman for the North of Smokey Fishermen’s Association.
“We want to send a message to the provincial and federal levels of government that fishermen are still opposed to the blasting. We want to let them know the industry is not pleased.”
But because the testing hadn’t begun yet, Burke said it may not be too late if levels of government decided to take up the cause.
While the seismic testing is to take place in waters off Cheticamp, protesters chose to set up their picket at the Canso Causeway, the road entry point to Cape Breton Island and a historically popular and high-profile venue for protesters.
Demonstrators noted that any impact the seismic program may have on the marine ecosystem would affect fishermen from across the island.
Environmentalists, fishermen and tourist operators have argued against exploring on three near shore leases off Cape Breton.
Poor weather hampers seismic testing
The Canada-Nova Scotia Off-
shore Petroleum Board issued
a permit in late November to
Halifax-based Corridor
Resources to conduct a six-day
seismic program in shallow
waters about 15 kilometres off
the island's west coast. The
work must be carried out by
Feb. 28. So far, the testing has
been hampered by poor weather.
The seismic survey is done
by towing an array of air horns
from the back of a ship with
devices that sense gas or oil
-bearing strata. Fishermen are
particularly worried the powerful
sound blasts that are
dragged behind a boat will
scare away fish and harm snow
crabs since the sound will go
directly over a snow crab nursery.
Even if the seismic program
goes ahead, Burke said the fishermen's
fight isn't over and
will continue if oil or gas is
found and development goes
ahead.
"This is just one of the
many battles that we will be
fighting," he said. "We're not
opposed to oil and gas development,
but not in the inshore."
The protest came a
day after a Nova Scotia
Supreme Court justice
denied a Mi'kmaq
elder's request for an
interim injunction preventing
seismic testing
until additional consultation
with aboriginals took place.
Before starting the
picket, organizers conferred
with Port
Hawkesbury RCMP
over how the protest
would be carried out.
"They're going to do
it anyway," Parks said,
about RCMP co-operation
with the protesters.
"They have a right
to peaceful protest.
At the end of the day, we want to
have a safe event."
Most motorists are understanding,
Parks said, when
protests slow but don't entirely
shut down traffic.
nking@cbpost.com
|