WE ARE TARGETING ONE OF THE LARGEST OIL AND GAS PROPOSALS IN AUSTRALIAN HISTORY

Right now, a huge area of our ocean is under threat by seismic blasting. Seismic blasting is the damaging first step in the search for fossil fuels. The multinational corporation TGS wants to blast an enormous 5.5 million hectares – in an area extending from Tasmania, along Victoria’s coastline, and all the way to South Australia.

STOP IT BEFORE IT STARTS!

TGS has applied to blast the region for 400 days. This damaging plan puts unique and globally significant areas under threat, including the 12 Apostles, King Island and the Great Southern Reef. The blasting proposal includes two Marine Protected Areas: the Bonney Upwelling, and protected whale sanctuaries. On top of this, the area is exposed to some of the biggest swells on the planet – straight from the Southern Ocean. This means that blasting in this area is a especially dangerous.

IMPACTS

Marine Life

Seismic blasts displace, injure and kill marine life. The blasts kill zooplankton over a kilometer away, and damage the sensory organs of marine animals, especially whales and dolphins who rely on hearing for survival. TGS wants to blast critical habitat for whales, including protected sanctuaries for blue whales, southern right whales, and their calves.

The proposal blasting area threatens both the offshore and coastal environment and includes two Commonwealth Marine Parks, containing globally significant values, and rare and unique species.

The blasting area is exposed to some of the biggest swells on the planet -straight from the Southern Ocean. These conditions vastly increase the risk of a devastating oil spill, threatening Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and even NSW. This shocking oil spill map is based on TGS’s own spill modeling. It shows how devastating an oil spill would be from a single seismic blasting vessel (with a limited fuel capacity). Can you imagine if it was from drilling, or a rig?

Communities

The Great Southern Reef contributes more than $10 billion per year to Australia’s economy. Seismic blasting directly impacts the reef ecosystem and the fishing industries that rely on it, putting livelihoods at risk.

Future Damage

Seismic blasting is the first step in offshore oil and gas exploration. The next step is drilling, and extraction. Additional emissions originating from new gas fields are unacceptable. Fossil fuels are the cause of the climate crisis, and all new fossil fuel projects are incompatible with a liveable future.

WHAT WE’RE DOING

Surfrider Australia is fighting to protect the ocean, ecosystems, and community threatened by TGS’s seismic blasting proposal. We strongly oppose the search for more fossil fuels in these waters and the expansion of the fossil fuel industry as a whole. In 2023, we are facing climate catastrophe and simply do not need more oil and gas.

We call for the permanent protection of Australia’s south-eastern waters from fossil fuel exploration, and demand an immediate end to the proposed expansion of the offshore fossil fuel industry.

TAKE ACTION – THE OCEAN NEEDS YOU

Just like we successfully fought to stop drilling in the Great Australian Bight and along Australia’s most populated coastline with PEP11, we are taking up the fight to Save The Southern Sea – but we can’t do it without you. Join us and take action today.

Your voice is powerful! One of the most effective ways to use it is to send an email or call your local Council or State MP, calling on them to put a stop to the TGS proposal and end fossil fuel extraction in our Southern Ocean.

Want to stay connected and know when you can join in the action with paddle outs, events and more? Follow us on socials here!

WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?

As surfers, we know that the whole ocean is our shared backyard and it’s up to us to act as custodians of the places that need our protection. The Southern Sea is too wild to drill, and it deserves to be protected.

Surfrider and our partners are fighting to protect The Southern Sea, and we stand in opposition to the expansion of polluting fossil fuel projects in The Southern Sea.

We call for permanent protection of The Southern Sea from the threat of fossil fuels and join the call for an immediate end of all gas exploration activities and an end to any expansion of gas development or extraction activities in The Southern Sea.