Case Decision - 198877

The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) would like to thank you for submitting the Draft Basic Assessment Report (DBAR) for the proposed TGS Seismic Survey Basic Assessment project, located offshore extending from approximately 120km offshore of St Helena Bay to 230km offshore of Hondeklip Bay, off the West Coast of South Africa. 
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 Draft Basic Assessment Report has been undertaken which includes a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA). Having reviewed the DBAR 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. 
The DBAR also includes a section on the possible maritime heritage resources that may be present in the area, however, given the distance from the shore and the depths at which the survey will take place it is unlikely that heritage resources will be discovered. A mitigation measure included in Section 9.3.3 of the DBAR reads:

"3D seismic surveys have the potential to locate wrecks on the surface, and sometimes below sediments on the ocean floor. Any shipwrecks or pieces thereof noted during the survey must be shared with the SAHRA MUCH Unit for inclusion into the national database. These could then be identified and be incorporated into the EMPr." 

SAHRA supports the above and reiterates that although the likelihood of maritime heritage resources being discovered is low, the proposed surveys cover a large area and will be fairly high resolution and the potential for previously unknown shipwreck sites or material to be identified exists. 
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.