Cohabitation and cooperation between oil activities and marine protected areas (Anglais)

Numerous studies have shown that Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) established for the protection of biodiversity can provide substantial benefits to ecology, fisheries and socio-economic welfare. The declaration made in Durban by his Excellency President...  Voir la suite Numerous studies have shown that Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) established for the protection of biodiversity can provide substantial benefits to ecology, fisheries and socio-economic welfare. The declaration made in Durban by his Excellency President of Madagascar in 2003, to increase the protected area surface up to 6 million hectares introduces a challenge for the development of the oil sector in Madagascar. It induces and increases overlapping between oil areas and newly or to be created protected areas. The purpose of this report is to provide a synthesis of sound international and Australian practices for the cohabitation of oil and gas activities with marine protected areas. Environmental assessments of oil and gas activities have been conducted in almost all jurisdictions worldwide. Consequently there is a large body of information readily available through internet resources. It is not the intention to reproduce a detailed assessment of oil and gas activities as part of this report rather to establish the key factors and uncertainties that are relevant to cohabitation of MPAs and oil and gas activities. Seismic surveys are the main tool used by the oil industry in locating hydrocarbon accumulations. Studies of environmental issues relating to seismic surveys have largely focused on the potential effects of acoustic disturbance to fauna from the sound waves associated with the seismic energy source. However acquiring data to define how sound effects marine fauna is difficult to do because of the logistical problems associated with marine experiments.  Réduire