SEISMIC OCEAN BLASTING TO BEGIN ON JUNE 3---15 miles off Barnegat Inlet

[Bob T.]

RFA sent me an email this morning, it concerns anyone that fishes off the coast of New Jersey.
SEISMIC OCEAN BLASTING TO BEGIN ON JUNE 3
Obama Faces Whale Of a Problem Along Jersey Shore

New Jersey recreational and commercial fishermen, along with a coalition of grassroots environmental groups and local activists, are protesting the irresponsible scheduling of a seismic testing program just 15 miles off Barnegat Inlet, a study that very well could last into August.

Scheduled to start on June 3 - which coincides with critical fish and marine mammal migration periods along the Jersey Shore - the seismic testing incorporates high-energy, seismic blasting by way of four- and eight-airgun arrays mounted on a large research vessel that produces sound levels of up to 253 decibels fired in an alternating sequence every 5 seconds.

Approved by the Obama administration as a climate change study designed to access deep sea sediments, the seismic blasting study off the Jersey Coast is being run by Rutgers University and is expected to last 30 days and cover 230 square miles of ocean, though sources believe the effort could continue later into the summer months.

"Our federal government couldn't have picked a worse time to coordinate such an invasive study," said Jim Donofrio, executive director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA). "Our fishing community is still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Sandy, and this explosive study will scatter fish and potentially do damage to migratory species like bottlenose dolphins, humpbacks and even right whales along our coast that time of year."

Donofrio said members of the for-hire fleet, as well as well as local commercial fishermen, are fearful of the potential impacts on local marine life posed by the seismic airgun blasts. A recent study in the Journal of Acoustical Society of America has confirmed that seismic airguns used in similar underwater oil exploration efforts have damaged the auditory organs of fish. In announcing the $369,358 grant to Rutgers University to perform this seismic study, the National Science Foundation specifically noted how final results of the study "may be of relevance for hydrocarbon exploration industry."

"Under the guise of a climate change study, the Obama Administration has proposed another job-killer for the coastal fishing industry during the prime summer months," Donofrio said. "They're obviously going forward with this study despite our concerns, but at the very least it could be coordinated at a different time of year when the negative impacts of marine life and local economy are minimized."

RFA and other groups are urging the Obama Administration to step in and reschedule the seismic blasting for the winter months of January through March when the effects would be less damaging to marine life and the coastal resource.


I wonder how well the fish will be spawning, eating, and just living with a constant, loud, sustained firing of air cannons going on for a month (or more).

[tombanjo]

Bastards! All this global warming bullshit, this right here is what it's all about. Money. Opportunities for scientists to get gov. grants to "study" a problem that's political in nature and phony to begin with. Of course they come up with the "correct" results to keep the spigot flowing. What? You think they will bite the hand that feeds them?

[Jerzfishermen]

Seems to me that the RFA should be looking into getting their lawyers together and file for a restraining order to halt this until further review. Just a thought.

[shrimpman steve]

F'en rediculus!

[Rob B]

Mako magnets

[Dr.Venture]

I on a 24/7 basis am always beside myself on how gov officials who have no clue about nothing rely on some "scientists" telling them what is what in the world and they just follow suit like a bunch of sheep allowing these types of "experiments" to happen.

it is indeed all about the money to be made at the cost of the destruction of animal life.:(




**on another note they are prob checking for oil deposits.

[chefsamg19]

I heard this 2 months ago thought it was bs... Million Dollar question is does the blasting affect the fishery? If it goes off at the ridge and we are fishing the mud do that blast travel far and wide spooking the fish?

[chefsamg19]

RFA sent me an email this morning, it concerns anyone that fishes off the coast of New Jersey.
SEISMIC OCEAN BLASTING TO BEGIN ON JUNE 3
Obama Faces Whale Of a Problem Along Jersey Shore

New Jersey recreational and commercial fishermen, along with a coalition of grassroots environmental groups and local activists, are protesting the irresponsible scheduling of a seismic testing program just 15 miles off Barnegat Inlet, a study that very well could last into August.

Scheduled to start on June 3 - which coincides with critical fish and marine mammal migration periods along the Jersey Shore - the seismic testing incorporates high-energy, seismic blasting by way of four- and eight-airgun arrays mounted on a large research vessel that produces sound levels of up to 253 decibels fired in an alternating sequence every 5 seconds.

Approved by the Obama administration as a climate change study designed to access deep sea sediments, the seismic blasting study off the Jersey Coast is being run by Rutgers University and is expected to last 30 days and cover 230 square miles of ocean, though sources believe the effort could continue later into the summer months.

"Our federal government couldn't have picked a worse time to coordinate such an invasive study," said Jim Donofrio, executive director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA). "Our fishing community is still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Sandy, and this explosive study will scatter fish and potentially do damage to migratory species like bottlenose dolphins, humpbacks and even right whales along our coast that time of year."

Donofrio said members of the for-hire fleet, as well as well as local commercial fishermen, are fearful of the potential impacts on local marine life posed by the seismic airgun blasts. A recent study in the Journal of Acoustical Society of America has confirmed that seismic airguns used in similar underwater oil exploration efforts have damaged the auditory organs of fish. In announcing the $369,358 grant to Rutgers University to perform this seismic study, the National Science Foundation specifically noted how final results of the study "may be of relevance for hydrocarbon exploration industry."

"Under the guise of a climate change study, the Obama Administration has proposed another job-killer for the coastal fishing industry during the prime summer months," Donofrio said. "They're obviously going forward with this study despite our concerns, but at the very least it could be coordinated at a different time of year when the negative impacts of marine life and local economy are minimized."

RFA and other groups are urging the Obama Administration to step in and reschedule the seismic blasting for the winter months of January through March when the effects would be less damaging to marine life and the coastal resource.


I wonder how well the fish will be spawning, eating, and just living with a constant, loud, sustained firing of air cannons going on for a month (or more).

The fish will b gone... Forget it if this happens my friends.. Complete and total irresponsibility by our great govt. and furthermore by mr idiot himself obummer

[njboarder]

Fishermen should start drilling for oil on Rutgers campus to see how they like it..:mad:

[dfish28]

I heard that North Dakota has the largest oil deposit in all the world yet we are not drilling as much as we could, and still importing... This all makes soooo much sense...:confused:

http://m.startribune.com/?id=205468311

[GDubya07]

This will not be good at all

We will still overfish - Guarenteed - with even less fish to catch

GDubs-:cool:

[MrAC1980]

Greattttt... Another one of Gov's way of wasting money and f'in up more shit!

[Bob T.]

The more I look into this the worse it sounds.

Seismic airguns are used to find oil and gas deep underneath the ocean floor. Airguns are so loud that they disturb, injure or kill marine life, harm commercial fisheries, and disrupt coastal economies. These dynamite-like blasts—which are repeated every ten seconds, 24 hours a day, for days and weeks at a time—are 100,000 times more intense than a jet engine. Seismic airgun testing currently being proposed in the Atlantic will injure 138,500 whales and dolphins and disturb millions more, according to government estimates.



Seismic airguns are towed behind ships and shoot loud blasts of compressed air through the water and miles into the seabed, which reflect back information about buried oil and gas deposits. These blasts harm marine mammals, sea turtles, fish and other wildlife.

Impacts include temporary and permanent hearing loss, abandonment of habitat, disruption of mating and feeding, and even beach strandings and death. For whales and dolphins, which rely on their hearing to find food, communicate, and reproduce, being able to hear is a life or death matter.

Airgun blasts kill fish eggs and larvae and scare away fish from important habitats. Following seismic surveys catch rates of cod and haddock declined by 40 to 80 percent for thousands of miles.

In addition to being devastating for marine life, seismic airguns are the first step toward dangerous and dirty offshore drilling with associated habitat destruction, oil spills and contribution to climate change and ocean acidification.

Oceana is working to halt the use of seismic airguns, and stop the expansion of dangerous offshore drilling.

[jmurr711]

We all gotta work together to stop this nonsense

[SaltLife1980]

This will not end good.. that amount of decibels is really going to impact the fishing... its going to push the fish away from the area.. This is a joke.. What a load of crap!

[howarda780]

I don't know if this is going to do any good. I just saw this on FB.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/230/078/429/stop-seismic-testing-off-nj-coast-this-june/

[jmurr711]

I don't know if this is going to do any good. I just saw this on FB.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/230/078/429/stop-seismic-testing-off-nj-coast-this-june/

i figure what we got to lose i signed it

[GDubya07]

Just signed - lets go peeps this will not go over well for fishing this year

Would you want to eat or stay with your wife screaming at you 24x7 x 30 days straight every 5 seconds?

I wouldn't either and would get up and leave or move - so please give it a shot cant hurt more than the sonic booooom that is coming

GDubs- For what it is worth - :cool:

[njboarder]

signed as well !!!!!:cool:

[Leif]

Ruin the Jetties, Cover everything with sand, blast the @%** out of the Marine life that's left then drill for oil and gas. PERFECT!

Sounds like a plan. Time to get out of NJ. Can't stand it anymore.

F'em all!

Leif

[DoubleBarrel]

This will unquestionably have a materially negative impact on local fisheries this summer. Why you ask, did they chose this time frame? So they wouldn't have to test when its cold and conditions are less than comfortable.

If anyone believes this won't have an impact on not just migratory species and seasonal/resident fish we target make sure to count how many whales & dolphins you see this summer etc., they are kidding themselves. I don't think one needs to be doomsday predictor to say this is just another in a long line of asinine decisions to come out of this administration.

As with anything, it's great to express concerns here, but its even better to take action. Its been my experience with Congressman Pallone that he's responsive to inquiries and concerns:

https://pallone.house.gov/contact-me

Truly a sad and utterly moronic state of affairs!

[acabtp]

during world war ii, the north sea had hundreds of thousands or more explosions from everything from bombs, torpedoes, and shells to big things the entire magazines of exploding battleships. six years of nonstop detonations covering pretty much the whole sea... thousands of times more explosions over a much much wider area than these airgun tests. yet when they resumed fishing the north sea 1945, they found huge numbers of fish waiting.

i don't think the fish will care... good excuse though for bad days this year

[dales529]

RFA (as usual) has been involved in meetings on this. I reached out for some more information / progress and basically the word is this:

This research study and grants for it have been out there for years but previously under an "Oil / Gas Study" which is why it was always rejected. Now under the "Climate Change" title it was approved.

There is apparently no way at this point to stop it (although sign the petition Howie put out as it cant hurt). What RFA is currently pushing for is to at least get them to change the schedule to a less invasive time frame as there may be some ability to get that done.

Click on links below for letters to Sens Menendez and Booker for RFA position and sign / send them in.

www.dneconsulting.com/seismicletter_MENENDEZ.pdf

www.dneconsulting.com/seismicletter_BOOKER.pdf

[jakesdad]

Does anyone know who the Congressmen are whose districts would take the most impact. I know Pallone will stand with us but we need more.

What is the shock distance, what is the sound distance, will we all be giving up the peace and quiet that we so much enjoy on the ocean? Will this have an impact on the people on the beaches, will this cause any mini quakes as they are experiencing where they are fracking in western Pa. and Ohio.

Oh so many questions and so few answers, or do we get the answers after they have completed their work.

As I told Jim Hutch last evening, new shirt I FISH, I VOTE, THIS IS BULLS__T

[Bob T.]

Just signed

[tombanjo]

Does anyone know who the Congressmen are whose districts would take the most impact. I know Pallone will stand with us but we need more.

As I told Jim Hutch last evening, new shirt I FISH, I VOTE, THIS IS BULLS__T

Pallone? He's too busy appearing on any MSNBC show he can get on to attack Christie in his quest to become governor. Poor guy was passed over for Lautenberg's Senate seat in favor of the more ethnic choice of Menendez. But I digress....

If this stuff wasn't so sick it would be a comedy. Search for oil & gas? No effing way under this administartion. Oh, did we say oil & gas (for the last 5 years)? No, we meant global warming. Global warming? That's different, here's a boatload of $$$, knock yourselves out and welcome to the gravy train.

Want this derailed?

There's two spheres of influence driving the left right now. One is the global warming crowd whose interest is using this for financial gain and amassing tremendous political power, both of which have been very successful.

Then there's the true believers who will let crops and jobs wither and die like they did in drought ridden California rather then divert water because some endangered snail might be harmed. That's the crowd you need to get involved here. If they think fish might die as a result of these sonic blasts then they will become enraged enough to stop it.

[Ahab123]

So much for Tuna season.....what about Whales and Dolphins ?
is this horse shit absolutely necessary ?.....unreal....one
bad idea.....they cant do this during the Winter ?............:mad:

[ScowardNJ]

A lot to digest here....
https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/03/17/2014-05553/takes-of-marine-mammals-incidental-to-specified-activities-marine-geophysical-survey-in-the