Cape Town - Small-scale fishers and environmental activists held a picket in Saldanha Bay to say no to fossil fuels for its potential negative impacts on the ocean.
The protest is against the Eco Atlantic oil rig which is set to arrive in the coming days to start offshore oil and gas exploration activities on the West Coast.
According to The Green Connection, small-scale fishers, who create their livelihoods and celebrate their heritage through the ocean, deserve a seat at the decision-making table.
“The green connection is against offshore oil and gas exploration. We believe that due to the climate crisis, we don't need more fossil fuel development but we need renewable energy. However, peoples’ livelihoods depend on the ocean and permits for oil and gas exploration activities have been issued with little or no participation by local coastal communities,” said Neville van Rooy, Community
Outreach Coordinator for The Green Connection.
Small-scale fisher Carmelita Mostert said it was important to protect the ocean as they had depended on peaceful co-existence with nature.
“The reason we are against gas and oil is that water cannot mix with oil.
We say yes for swimming and fishing, no for oil and gas. It isn't a benefit for us and the fish will disappear. All we want is a clean ocean and to fish, because it is our livelihood. It is our customary right, we are born by the sea, we want clean oceans to feed our families and communities,” she said.
Fisher-woman Julie Denerson added: “We are unhappy about the drilling of oil and gas, it will destroy our livelihood, the sea life, the animals and plants. Our children need to have the benefit of fishing one day and also getting to enjoy life at the ocean.”
The community added they felt they were not adequately consulted and called on government to introduce more inclusive processes.
Meanwhile, Eco Atlantic maintained that communities had been consulted. “Eco Atlantic confirms that all required documentation and approvals have been filed with all the relevant authorities for the Drilling of the Gazania-1 well in accordance with South African law. A public participation process was undertaken in 2014 in accordance with the provisions of the National Environmental Management Act and the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act and concluded in 2015.
“Then again in 2022, a voluntary public participation process was undertaken to provide communities with an update on the exploration operations in Block 2B and to inform the communities regarding the upcoming exploration drilling project,” the company said.
Cape Times