Another gas company is seeking approval to start a 3D seismic marine survey in October, raising alarm bells for concerned Coasters.
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The project, the Prion Marine Seismic Survey from Beach Energy, is currently before approval authority the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority.
Beach Energy are aiming to begin the survey in October, but have set a deadline which extends to December 2023. The project is located approximately 73km east of King Island and 57km north of Stanley, and will take place over 50 days.
Stanley recreational surfer Jeff Power said he was unimpressed by the lack of community awareness he'd seen around the project, particularly in light of the backlash from locals on King Island for a similar project.
"Not a single person that I've talked to knew that this was happening until I put it up on Facebook," Mr Power said.
"It should have been publicised more.
"We're never going to stop this, but we need greater awareness," he said.
Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson said the government knew about the the project, with Beach Energy having spoken at the recent senate inquiry into seismic testing.
This will specifically focus on scallops, with the Scallop Fishermen's Association of Tasmania raising concerns over the impact the vibrations from the testing can have on the sea beds.
In a submission to the inquiry, SFAT cited previous Bass Strait seismic testing in 2010, north of Flinders Island, which preceded an "estimated loss of around 24,000 tonnes of scallops".
While there was not "definitive proof" the survey was to blame, SFAT said scientific advice "subsequently indicated" that seismic testing could be "reasonably (be) assumed" as the cause of the delayed mortality.
"It's the second-best outcome," Mr Whish-Wilson said. "At least we'll have some more knowledge to inform us of the impacts."
It will also make compensation easier to claim for fishers if damage does occur, he said.
Beach Energy head of corporate affairs and community Rob Malinauskas said seismic surveys had been "undertaken safely in Bass Strait for many decades".
"There is no credible evidence which supports the claims of negative impacts to sea-life such as lobsters and scallops," he said.
"Regardless, Beach continues to engage extensively with the fishing industry. We have committed to undertaking further research and we have strong compensation policies in place if any economic loss can be proven."
Beach Energy has commenced a 'before and after' impact assessment of scallop beds within the seismic survey area that have not previously been fished commercially.