BY OLIVIA PORTELL

Hunter locals have taken to social media to blame the seismic testing for what appears to be whale remains that have washed up on Blacksmith’s Beach.

The testing took place off the coast of Newcastle last week, however, Swansea MP Yasmin Catley says it has no connection to the body parts.

She says the washed-up remains are common in this area, and that the testing was not a factor.

“Marine life is washed up onto our beaches up and down the eastern seaboard on a regular basis and it can be said that this is another example of that,” she says.

“There is certainly no suggestion that the body parts that we see on Blacksmith’s Beach have any relationship whatsoever to the testing that’s going on off Newcastle recently.”

Catley says the community should not jump to conclusions, as measures were put in place to protect marine life in the area.

“During the testing, the vessel saw a pod of dolphins at one stage- they immediately ceased their activities until the dolphins left the exclusion zone,” she says.

“The safety authority NOPSEMA were actually present on the vessel, and they put in place the highest safety precautions and environmental protection that we would expect,”

“If the community is concerned, then they should ask fisheries to do an examination of those body parts, and get some conclusive evidence.”