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Virginia Aquarium says 'no' to seismic testing

Multiple aquariums on the eastern shore are speaking out against the testing.

Seismic testing is currently in the works, and conservationists say the impact will come crushing down on all of us.

Mark Swingle is the Director of Research and Conservation for the Virginia Aquarium and he says the decision to start up seismic testing off the coast of Hampton Roads is wrong.

"Seismic testing is essentially where they're trying to determine the presence of oil and gas deposits under the seabed. The process involves towing these very large units behind ships. These units blat sound down into the ocean. It has to penetrate quite far into the bottom of the ocean and bounce back in order for them to get the information that they need,” said Swingle. 

Swingle says the process of seismic testing will hurt the animals in our water.

"Marine mammals live in a sound environment and they use sound to communicate, for finding food, for reproduction and mating, and navigating. The sound is incredibly loud. And it's in the decibel range of being feet away from a jet engine. It's also very disruptive to fish and zooplankton- which are plankton at the very base of the food chain,” said Swingle. 

The government has already issued five permits to companies to begin the testing.

"The policies of this particular administration is really trying to promote fossil fuel development when a lot of the world is really starting to move away from that," said Swingle. "All the major aquariums in the mid-Atlantic region, we put out a press release in opposition to oil, gas and seismic testing."

For now, lawsuits against the testing are in the works, but Swingle says if you want to prevent the testing from happening, you should contact your local congressmen. 

Swingle says if the testing isn’t stopped we will ultimately lose some species.

"This activity has not been happening here for multiple decades. These animals, they have not been exposed to it, and without exposure to that we already have animals in decline,” said Swingle.

 

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