Paddle out protests staged against seismic testing off King Island

The National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority has approved ConocoPhillips' plan for testing in the Bass Strait.

King Island Mayor Julie Arnold said while she saw no chance of stopping the the 30-day seismic survey between August 10 and October 31, 2021 she would continue the fight for residents for subsequent testing.

"We certainly have decided we will change the way we make our feelings felt and we will go directly to the companies," Cr Arnold said. "We feel that will have a bigger impact and have our message promoted to the people on the ground.

"I have written to every Tasmanian federal parliamentarian and I think our feelings are well known.

"We won't be stopping our processes to get our concerns understood."

A group of Tasmanian surfers took to the water on Saturday in a demonstration against the decision to approve testing.

"We are grateful for any publicity, but we feel this round of testing is definitely going ahead and there is very little that can be done," Cr Arnold said.

The Surf Rider Foundation and Grassroots Action Network of Tasmania organised the paddle out at Seven Mile Beach on Saturday which attracted 40 people.

President of Surf Rider Foundation Tasmania and marine science student Ally King said she was concerned about the impact the testing would have on King Island's marine life.

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"These seismic blasts have a direct effect on wildlife like dolphin's whales, fish, and invertebrates as we are now finding," she said.

A protest was also staged at Corio Bay on Sunday in an attempt to alert the public to the damage of seismic testing.

"When will the voices of people who call this coastline home be considered?," Patagonia Global Sports Activist Belinda Baggs said. "We paddled... because we're sick and tired of being ignored and brushed to the side."

"We simply don't want new polluting fossil fuels and explosive seismic testing anywhere near King Island nor the Otway Basin.

"Seismic testing has devastating impacts on marine life. The pathway to new gas exploration risks a healthy ocean and adds to emissions that we drastically need to reduce."

A ConocoPhillips Australia spokesperson said a "number of controls" had been put in place, including reducing the operational area and selecting the time of year to acquire the seismic data that has the least impact on marine species and commercial fishing.

However, they said seismic testing was not operated to a "no impact" standard with the plan to demonstrate "the environmental impacts and risks of the activity will be reduced to as low as reasonably practicable".