WWF 24 Apr 09;
Geneva, Switzerland – A major oil and gas consortium has agreed to suspend planned seismic testing off Sakhalin Island in the Russian Far East, a crucial feeding area for the critically endangered Western Gray whale.
The decision followed a recommendation today by a major international scientific panel to halt further oil and gas development in and around the feeding area of the Western Gray Whale.
During a meeting of the Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel (WGWAP), Sakhalin Energy - a partnership between Shell, Gasprom and other shareholders - agreed to cancel its proposed 2009 seismic activities, despite having already put plans in place for the work.
The WGWAP, convened by the IUCN and comprising 11 eminent scientists, met this week with representatives of Shell, Sakhalin Energy, Russian government officials, project lenders and environmental NGOs to review the most recent science on the whales.
The Western Gray Whale is one of the world’s most endangered whales, with only 25 breeding females remaining. The whale feeds only in the summer, and its crucial primary feeding area is offshore Piltun Bay at the north eastern part of Sakhalin shelf.
New science presented during this week’s meeting revealed a significant decline in sightings and behaviour changes of the whales in their primary feeding area near Piltun Bay. Oil and gas exploration activities in the area appear to have displaced the whales to deeper areas offshore, making it more difficult for whale calves to feed.
Since the Western Gray Whale only feeds in the summertime, such displacement could be devastating.
However, BP, Exxon, Rosneft have ignored repeated calls to cooperate with the panel, which again today called on those companies to urgently follow the example of Sakhalin Energy.
“WWF lauds the responsible and forward looking approach taken by Sakhalin Energy in heeding this call from the panel,” said Aleksey Knizhnikov from WWF-Russia. “The results seen today demonstrate that collaborative science based initiatives like this panel process can succeed – even on issues as complex as oil and gas development”.
“However other major operators in the area – including major international giants BP and Exxon - have completely ignored pleas to join the panel, disregarded advice on how to mitigate the impacts of their activities, and refused to provide even basic information on what their activities are in the region.”
“Today’s decision is a victory for the Western Gray Whales, but the struggle continues. BP, Exxon and Rosneft must abandon their reckless plans that threaten the western gray whales with extinction” said Doug Norlen, from Pacific Environment, an international NGO that has monitored Sakhalin oil and gas projects for over a decade.
Stop all oil and gas activities that could harm Western Gray Whales, says panel
IUCN 24 Apr 09;
An independent panel of scientists has recommended a moratorium on all activities by oil and gas companies in eastern Russia that could adversely affect the Western Gray Whale population.
The Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel, set up by IUCN in 2005, said it is extremely concerned by observations in 2008 suggesting whale distribution and behaviour have changed.
The panel has therefore concluded that all activities planned for 2009, including Sakhalin Energy’s seismic survey, should be postponed until the Western Gray Whale population has been fully monitored and assessed.
If the monitoring in 2009 reduces the uncertainty and concern over the Western Gray Whale population, the panel may be able to accept a seismic survey in 2010.
The panel added that its recommendations in no way reflect dissatisfaction with the work of its Seismic Survey Task Force or with the co-operation given to the panel by Sakhalin Energy.
The panel said Western Gray Whales in this area are affected by the activities of all companies in the region. It is calling for all companies to abide by a moratorium on all activities until clarification of the current situation has been reached.
Gray whales granted rare reprieve
BBC News 24 Apr 09;
Conservation campaigners are hailing a victory for the "critically endangered" gray whale.
The groups have won agreement from some oil and gas companies in Russian waters to end seismic work, giving gray whales a chance to breed undisturbed.
The cessation comes in response to research showing how oil exploration can alter the behaviour of gray whales.
However, a number of firms have refused to stop exploration work planned for the breeding season.
Feeding season
The WWF and Pacific Environment conservation groups praised the Sakhalin Energy consortium for its decision to abandon underwater seismic work scheduled to take place off Sakhalin Island in 2009.
"The results seen today demonstrate that collaborative science based initiatives like this panel process can succeed - even on issues as complex as oil and gas development," said Aleksey Knizhnikov from WWF-Russia in a statement.
Sakhalin Energy's decision came following the presentation of research revealing how seismic work disrupts the lifecycle of the gray whale.
The whales are known to only feed in summer and their main feeding area is in the Piltun Bay which lies at the north eastern part of Sakhalin shelf.
Research reveals that the noise from oil and gas exploration has driven the whales into deeper waters making it hard for their calves to feed and thrive.
The gray whale is known to be one of the world's most endangered creatures. Only 35 of the 130 remaining gray whales are thought to be breeding females.
The whale is listed as "critically endangered" by Russia and is on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's red list of endangered species.
The suspension of seismic work by Sakhalin Energy, which is backed by Shell and Gasprom, might mean the whales can move in-shore, feed and breed.
However, campaigners pointed out that other oil and gas firms working in the region, including BP. Exxon and Rosneft, were still planning to carry out seismic work in 2009.
