A special screening of the video “The Sonic Sea” was shown to the public Wednesday, August 24, 2016, at the North Myrtle Beach library here in South Carolina. Hosted by Oceana and the S.O.D.A group (Coalition to Stop Oil Drilling in the Atlantic Ocean), twenty-six people viewed the video along with activists working to prevent seismic testing the Atlantic Ocean.
Earlier this year, S.O.D.A. had received an award for conservationist of the year from the state of South Carolina.
Peggy Howell spoke about the success of the S.O.D.A. group, who were instrumental along with other groups on the Eastern Seaboard, in getting the federal government to withdraw leasing parcels of the Atlantic Ocean sea floor for oil and gas exploration.
But the fight continues because seismic testing permits are still being issued and considered by the federal government. Three permits have been approved and four others are under consideration: the scale of testing would be unprecedented, sonic bursts every ten seconds all day for years, and this sound can travel up to 2400 miles.
Howell said seismic testing does not necessarily find oil and gas but causes significant harm to marine life instead.
The Sonic Sea film is about the dangers of artificial sound such as seismic testing and sonar upon marine life — and about the overwhelming impact the sounds have upon sound patterns originating from whales and dolphins — causing them to get lost and go hungry, not to mention both species have been found dead with blood coming from their ears and swelling in their brains.
Commercial shipping was also blamed for creating harmful sound in the ocean, as 60,000 ships transverse the globe at any one time with their propellers and engines sending sound waves throughout the ocean.
Technicians in sound surveillance using hydro-phones were able to hear and record marine ocean life sound emanations — and the commercial interference.
The oil giant Exxon was blamed for killing a number of whales while using an echo sounder for oil and gas exploration.
The video contained multiple interviews by marine preservationists such as Jean Costeau.
The audience clapped at the end of the viewing, and in conclusion, attendees were encouraged to contact public officials and tell them to oppose seismic testing because of the harm to marine life.