Case Decision - 198529

The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) would like to thank you for submitting the Draft Basic Assessment Report (DBAR) for the proposed Searcher Seismic Survey Reconnaissance Basic Assessment project, located between approximately 256 km offshore of St Helena Bay, extending north along the western coastline to approximately 220 km offshore of Hondeklip Bay over a number of petroleum licence blocks. The survey area at the closest point is approximately 218 km offshore of the coast of the Western and Northern Cape. The area of interest for the proposed 3D seismic survey is approximately 30 000 km2 in extent. 
In terms of the National Heritage Resources Act, No 25 of 1999 (NHRA), Sections 2 and 35 stipulates that any wreck, being any vessel or aircraft or any part thereof older than 60 years in South Africa's territorial waters or maritime cultural zone is protected and falls under the jurisdiction of SAHRA's Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit. These heritage sites or objects may not be disturbed without a permit from the relevant heritage resources authority. 
As part of the Environmental Authorisation process a Basic Assessment Report must be completed. Having reviewed the Draft Basic Assessment report SAHRA has noted that the intangible aspect of the project has been thoroughly addressed by the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) and supports the recommended measures. However, there is no mention in the HIA of possible tangible heritage resources that may be located in the survey area, such as shipwrecks. 
Therefore SAHRA insists that the HIA and the BAR must be updated to assess the presence of maritime heritage, most notably shipwrecks, in the research area and must include mitigation measures should any shipwrecks be recorded. Given the distance from the shore and the depths at which the survey will take place it is unlikely that cultural remains will be discovered. However, as the proposed surveys cover a large area and will be fairly high resolution there may still be some potential for previously unknown shipwreck sites or material to be identified and this must be addressed in the report. 
Please note that all updates and/or changes to the project, supporting documentation, correspondence, reports, or any other work relating to the project must be uploaded to the case on SAHRIS to provide SAHRA with the opportunity to comment. SAHRA does not accept emailed documents or hard-copy documents received via post.