When oil and gas reserves are believed to exist in a particular region, companies in the oil and gas industry conduct what is known as a seismic survey to locate and estimate the size of underground oil and gas reserves. The results of such seismic surveys are often used by oil and gas companies to determine the viability of additional investments into oil and gas exploration.

The end result of seismic surveys is a seismic image, which is produced by generating, recording and analyzing seismic waves that travel through the Earth. A potential problem with seismic surveys, however, is explosives are sometimes involved in the process. Explosives or vibrating plates may generate the seismic waves and a line or grid of geophones, electronic receivers designed to pick up seismic vibrations, records the waves. In lieu of explosives, companies have at their disposal several additional techniques capable of producing seismic waves.

Oil and gas exploration has recently begun on Namibian waters. The production of oil and gas would certainly help boost the Namibian economy, which currently boasts a gross domestic product of $13.7 billion and a poverty rate of 28.7 percent, according to the World Bank. But this potential economy booster also comes with a hefty price tag.

While it is unclear what method is being used to generate the seismic waves on Namibia’s waters, that is, explosives, vibrating plates or other available methods, the seismic surveys have led to a massive depletion of tuna output from 1,800 tons in 2012 to approximately 650 tons in 2013. Both numbers are far from the output in 2011, which was 4,000 tons.

The reduction in the tuna supply is one that Namibia can ill afford. The country is already experiencing a food crisis due to drought. Almost one-third of the country’s population, in all of Namibia’s thirteen regions, face moderate to high levels of food insecurity after rainfall in southern Africa declined for the second straight year. The substantial level of loss to the tuna supply also threatens to damage Namibia’s economy to the extent that it relies on the tuna supply as a source of income.

In response to this crisis, a government task force, commissioned to assess the effects of seismic surveys on the fishing industry, recently recommended that the seismic surveys should be done outside the tuna fishing season, according to All Africa. The task force proposed that research should be conducted on the distance from the tuna migratory route and areas where most fishing takes place to determine which seismic surveys can be conducted to avoid interference with fishing. According to the commission’s findings thus far, efforts should be made to delay seismic surveys between February and March, during which 70 percent of the catch is made, to between May and September.

– Cavarrio Carter

Sources: All Africa, Encyclopedia Britannica, Lonestar Geophysical Surveys, World Bank, Al Jazeera, Southern Times Africa