Photo courtesy of the Council of Canadians
The Offshore Alliance may have to argue its case for an extension of the moratorium on offshore oil drilling at Georges Bank again — that is, if an election is called.
Since being introduced in 1988, the moratorium on oil drilling has been extended three times — but each extension only lasts 10 years.
Georges Bank plays a vital role in maintaining Nova Scotia’s fishery, says John Davis, director of the Clean Ocean Action Committee. The elevated area of ocean floor, spanning over 200 km, is home to a wide variety of sea life, such as ocean mammals, fish and coral.
“If you subtracted Georges Bank from the East Coast fishery, you would be immensely diminishing the amount of income that comes to our coastal communities around the South and Southwestern Shore,” Davis said in an interview. “It would be devastating”
The bank’s unique circular current keeps nutrients in the area, making it an ideal spot for fish to live and spawn, Davis noted. If oil spilled on the bank, that same current would swirl the oil around the bank, destroying marine life.
“The oil and gas industry has a massive lobbying effort,” Davis said. “It’s a great worry every time the moratorium comes up that we don’t get outgunned by the oil and gas industry.”
Robin Tress, a Climate and Social Justice Campaigner with the Council of Canadians, said the science has been clear for years: it’s time to move away from oil and gas toward sustainable energy.
“Extending the moratorium on Georges is totally mandatory to protect the fisheries and the ocean and coastal communities here,” Tress said in an interview. “… that’s the first step, and the second step will be a full moratorium on drilling in Nova Scotia.”
The current moratorium on Georges Bank expires at the end of 2022; a decision on whether or not it will be extended must be reached before then.
Liberal MLA and Minister of Fisheries and Mines, Chuck Porter voiced his support for the moratorium earlier this month.
But Davis said the alliance is concerned there may be an election soon, which could affect whether or not the moratorium is extended. They haven’t heard from members of the NDP or Conservative parties whether or not they would support the moratorium, he said.
The Department of Fisheries and Mines told the alliance they’ve begun the consultation process which precedes a decision, but haven’t given a timeline.
