Letters for Saturday November 20, 2021

Dear Editor,

Scientists are warning that plundering the seafloor with monster machines risks inevitable, severe and irreversible environmental damage to our oceans and marine life. You only have to look at some of the names of recent research papers: ‘Deep-Sea Mining with No Net Loss of Biodiversity – An Impossible Aim’.

In the deep sea, we find underwater mountains that are oases for sea creatures, ancient coral reefs and sharks that can live for hundreds of years. These are among the longest living creatures on Earth, which makes them particularly vulnerable to physical disturbance because of their slow growth rates. Researchers estimate that harm to wildlife from mining “is likely to last forever on human timescales”.

As if the total destruction of their homes wasn’t bad enough, machines cutting the seafloor will create sediment plumes, which could smother deep sea habitats for kilometres. The ships on the surface for the mining operation could also release toxic vapours into the water, harming many ocean species for hundreds or even thousands of kilometres.

And it’s not just pollution wildlife have to worry about. Noise generated by churning machinery risks harming and disturbing marine mammals like whales, while floodlighting areas of the dark deep ocean could cause permanent disruption to sea creatures adapted to very low levels of natural light.

The depths of our oceans hide a unique living world that we barely understand – but these mysteries are already under threat from a controversial new industry: deep sea mining.

A handful of companies and governments are planning to send monster machines deep beneath the waves, disrupting sensitive and unique habitats to extract metals and minerals. While licences have been granted to explore for deep sea mining in over a million square kilometres of our global oceans, no deep sea mining is happening – yet.

Monday Adam Marsters Poaiti

(Facebook)

Covid-19 modelling

Here we go (Covid-19 modelling: 90 percent vaccination needed to avoid lockdowns, RNZ, September 23, 2021),  it’s the same guys who predicted 7000 deaths in NZ even with an 80 per cent vax rate of over 5s, and “if we can get to 90% vax rate we can say goodbye to lockdowns”. So now it’s the kids that need to get vaccinated to make a big difference in reducing the number of infections, getting the vaccines out to the 5-11 group. How about leave our kids alone. They’re not super spreaders, they’re not at high risk of severe illness. There is risk from these vaccines. Taiwan has just halted the rollout of the second dose to 12-15-year olds due to myocarditis concerns, and many countries are cautious in considering the rollout to 5-11-year olds. Don’t blame the kids for the number of infections once our borders open to vaccinated visitors only.

Serena Hunter

(Facebook)

Online comments

Artists recognised

Congratulations to Vivian Aue and Ridge Ponini (for receiving Creative NZ Arts Pasifika Awards), first time I heard Ridge sing at the Nikao Church, well done. – Tepaeru Mitten

Congratulations to both of you. Man, the first time I saw Ridge sing was at Jeanne Vainerere Tamarama’s 50^th. Beautiful voice. And I had to turn around to see who was singing the entrance song. – Piriangaoa Tarapu

Congratulations to both brother Ridge Ponini and brother Vivian Arthur Hosking Aue. Tei mua rai korua e teia nga mapu tumu toa o te kuki airani. Amen and amene. – Ikiariki Rua

Congratulations to our Takitumu TMN NZ Culture Leaders. Awesome achievement. Well-deserved guys. – Taniamoana Robert

I’m sure I saw Ronnie Tua, another Cook Islander was also recognised! –

Iriti Maoate.