Mozambique: Authorities concerned at hydrocarbon project in Bazaruto

The project, which intends to cover areas near important conservation zones, including the Kewene Wildlife Sanctuary and the Pomene National Reserve, has been generating concern among conservation area managers, who are warning of the potential impacts on sensitive marine ecosystems. According to Nguenha, cited by the independent paper “O País”, hydrocarbon exploration and marine life conservation should not coexist in nearby areas, which means that they must be geographically separated. “Hydrocarbon exploration and marine life conservation activities should not coexist in nearby areas due to the associated environmental risks.

Operations such as seismic prospecting can directly interfere with the communication systems of marine animals, with harmful consequences for species such as sharks, whales, and other life forms dependent on the stability of the ecosystem”, he said. He explained that if seismic prospecting takes place at the park’s boundaries it will cause a very negative impact for marine life “because sounds transmitted in the water travel much further. Marine life and prospecting are incompatible activities.” Photo: Bazaruto Archipelago National Park – Mozambique He also warned that alterations in the ocean’s acoustic environment may cause the displacement or disappearance of sensitive species, compromising the ecological balance of the region.

“We may have a result contrary to the principle of conservation. Therefore, exploration should be accompanied by technologies and practices that minimize the risks to ecosystems”, he added.