Seismic upheaval raises doubts about seismic test plan

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Anti-oil drilling group Te Ikaroa is calling upon the Government to immediately halt all seismic testing off the east coast.

The largest seismic testing vessel in the world, the Amazon Warrior, is in New Zealand waters to conduct tests for Statoil and Chevron, but it can’t dock in Wellington because of quake damage to the port.

Te Ikaroa spokesperson Tina Ngata says the 7.5 magnitude Hanmer Springs earthquake has demonstrated the seismic vulnerability of the eastern seaboard of Aotearoa.

She says heighten the risk of a seismic event by blasting along the Hikurangi tectonic plate boundary lies, which just off the coast, defies common sense.

Seismic blasting disrupts and harms sea life, including marine mammals, and is opposed by more than 60 iwi and hapu from the top of the South Island to East Cape.

Ms Ngata says Te Ikaroa is also concerned Maritime New Zealand has no vessels that can clean up a spill at the proposed depth of the exploratory drilling.

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