Hematite regrets survey ban

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32838, 11 February 1972, Page 14

Hematite regrets survey ban

(N.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent; SYDNEY, February 10. Hematite Petroleum had lost several thousand dollars, and was very disappointed by the Marine Department’s decision to prevent seismic surveys off the west coast of the North Island, a company spokesman said in Melbourne today.

The Marine Department said it took the action in case the current tuna run was frightened off, but the spokes-

tman said photographic i: evidence proved that fish s were in fact attracted by - modern seismic surveys. “Seismic survey operations by the explosives method, which might have frightened fish, have not been used for years, and the method we planned was the sound-wave impulse system," he said. Photographs from America showed that fish were attracted by the sound waves, and large schools of fish had been seen following survey ships along, he said. The spokesman said Hematite had lost several thousand dollars by the decision, for it had the survey ship, a highly- . technical, specialised craft, on stand-by, waiting for the ; survey to begin. i The ship had now left for , Peru, and Hematite’s New i Zealand seismic survey i would depend on the availability of another craft. It > was not at present known ; when a suitable one would be found.