The video link attached, features Seismic Blasting kills Scallop Spat on traditional Scallop beds, it exposes the real situation regarding the 15 year reduction of Victorian Scallop Fishing quotas to levels that do not afford, Victorian Scallop Fishing families the ability to achieve a sustainable living from their long term traditional industry, particularly in Lakes Entrance.
Government Scallop surveys repeatedly report a shortage of viable scallop stocks as the reason for reduced quotas, in most cases down from 14 tonnes per licence to this years allocation of 1.5 tonnes.
The reality is that annual Seismic studies for the oil and gas exploration industry, are conducted simultaneously with the same vessel performing the Scallop sustainability survey. The findings never address the “cause and effect” that Seismic Blasting terminally damages developing scallop spat, effectively killing off the next years scallop reserves.
The Victorian Scallop Fisherman’s Association require irrefutable proof from Government that the above damage to Scallop Stocks is not happening on a repeat basis.