Marine expert denies saying Corrib project could kill
international |
environment |
other press 
Wednesday March 10, 2010 21:04
by Disillusioned - The Truth
conflicting accounts of advice given
Dr Rogers says “It is unfortunate that my original report is being interpreted in this way,”
Dr Alex David Rogers is a distinguished scientist and marine biologist, he is now the Principal Investigator of the biodiversity and evolution programme at British Antarctic Survey (BIOFLAME). He has published over 40 papers on marine ecology, population genetics and phylogenetics, including a book on the marine animals and plants of Britain. http://www.savethehighseas.org/rogers.cfm
He is also a supporter of The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) is an alliance of over 60 international organizations working to promote the conservation of biodiversity on the high seas. The coalition is calling on the United Nations General Assembly to institute a moratorium on high seas bottom trawling in order to protect seamounts, cold-water corals and vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems.
Dr Rogers has repeatedly been quoted by Pat O’Donnell and others as the scientist who advised him (O’Donnell) that if the Corrib gas project went ahead “people would die. The fisherman said the biologist told him he and his family would have to pack their bags because people would die if the project went ahead.
You can hear Mr O’ Donnell repeat this claim seven minutes into this award winning documentary “Pipe Down” http://www.vimeo.com/8668733
However now Dr Rogers has denied that he made the claim, and alleges his report has been misrepresented.
The doctor’s main concern was mercury contamination, but he believed the concerns were addressed through monitoring of shellfish around the discharge pipe from Corrib.
A story carried in this week’s Western People carries a denial from Mr Rogers that he told O’Donnell people would die because of the project, in a reply to a business man worried about the impact the project would have on his business and the fishing industry in Erris, Dr Rogers told him nobody would die from eating Mayo seafood products and told him to look at his original report to Mr O’Donnell, Dr Rogers went on to say “It is unfortunate that my original report is being interpreted in this way,”
Comments (2 of 2)
Jump To Comment: 1 2well pat was lucky to survive the masked attack on his boat by dodgy IRMS employees linked to right wing fascists and a planned violent coup in Bolivia. Willie corduff was equally lucky to survive his brutal attack (still waiting for an investigation). And several people I know were very badly assaulted by gardai when they visited corrib to express their democratic right to protest. Its a wonder nobody has died because of this project yet! And the mercury in the shellfish may only give minor brain damage to the babies of pregnant foreigners who buy erris fish after shell get their way and stop bothering to care about the environment a la niger delta etc etc., but it probably won't actually kill anyone. Of course, if the high pressure pipe bursts and the locals don't get away within the estimated 30 seconds then this project Might just kill one or two people!!!
I have just concluded a review of the ECCR Report on Shell in the Niger Delta Feb. 2010. It can be found at the ECCR website. It is 92 pages long and right through its five case studies there is a Shell trend of patronage over ecological protection. Monitoring or obeying the law is not a strong point of Shell which has avoided all censures against gas flaring. One even needs to take care when reading about gas gathering plants - it turns out that it is non-associated gas while the dangerous to health oil-related gas is put on the long finger because it costs more to harvest and use. Profit wins the day. A Niger Delta case is taking place at the Hague against Shell brough by 4 people whose story of sheer survival in a Shell production area makest the saddest of reading. Details at Friends of the Earth Netherlands. As Dr. Rogers claims the danger is dependent on the monitoring exercise. The State and Shell have a weak record to date in doing its decision-making on the Corrib project and one wonders how far we can trust the monitoring exercise. That is the problem for Erris and with Shell's record to date how far indeed can we trust...
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