Save the Whale and the Snail In the Irish Sea

A Rally to Celebrate and Protect the Whale and the Snail of the Irish Sea.  The rally will take place at Whitehaven Harbour with craft events, and exhibition showing the impacts of seismic testing upon the amazing creatures that call the Irish Sea home, from Minke Whales to Plankton.   All are invited to join us as we make our way from Whitehaven Harbour to Copeland Borough Council to hand in a petition to the “Community Partnerships” of Mid and South Copeland who have joined with Nuclear Waste Services to commission seismic testing of the Irish Sea.

RALLY TO STOP THE PLAN: Unless we stop the plan a ship in the Irish Sea will fire blasts of sound from air guns every 10 seconds for four weeks or more. This sound penetrates deep under the ocean floor to relay information about the geology.  The sound in the ocean from airguns can travel thousands of miles from the source.

Nuclear Waste Services (under the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) have been looking at the deep disposal of hot nuclear wastes. Under the Irish Sea is being actively considered. Seismic testing is preparation for: “Delivery of a Geological Disposal Facility.”  The CEO of West Cumbria Mining (currently focussed on coal) is advising Government on the digging of an enormous vault (or two) of 25km square.  These vaults would be used to “dispose” of nuclear wastes and this seismic survey is the opening salvo in the quest for sub-sea “disposal” of heat generating nuclear wastes.

WHO DECIDED? There has been no public consultation or vote, Nuclear Waste Services, Radioactive Waste Management, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and the handful of people on the Mid-Copeland “Community Partnership”(who do not represent the public ) decided to green light the plan over the heads of the public.  Shearwater GeoServices have been contracted to carry out the seismic survey.

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM? Not only could creatures like whales, dolphins and seals in the Irish Sea be harmed, but everything down to tiny shellfish and even plankton could be impacted. Effects from blasting, can cause  deafness to marine life and impair ability to navigate and find food.   The Irish Sea is a Marine Protected Zone because of its wealth of biodiversity and vulnerable species.

Help spread the word by signing and sharing our petition at https://www.change.org/p/save-the-whale-and-the-snail-stop-nuclear-waste-services-blasting-the-irish-sea

A Fundraiser is raising funds to commission an independent report into the impacts of seismic testing.  The report will be delivered to UK Authorities urging them to scrap the plan.  https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/stop-air-gun-blasting-irish-sea-for-nuclear-dump

Learn more about us here: https://www.lakesagainstnucleardump.com/