Markus Nolle, co-director of the Apollo Bay Fisherman's Cooperative and president of the Victorian Rock Lobster Association, said the industry's efforts to help lobster populations recover from over-fishing were being thwarted by seismic testing.
"In this modern day and age, there are other techniques they could use to do underwater exploration," he said. Depending on the location, companies must apply for permits through the state or federal government and lodge an environment plan to the offshore energy regulator, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority .Fishing and tourism are major industries in Apollo Bay, situated along the Great Ocean Road.
"The last experiment we did we looked at their sensory structure, which is equivalent to the human inner ear in that it detects gravity, gives them a sense of balance and helps them detect motion. "The industry has committed to ensuring seismic exploration does not have a biologically significant impact on marine species," he said.
Do we only care about the animals we can eat? Seismic testing damages all sea creatures