TABJ - July 12 - A meeting of the 63rd International Whaling Commission, Jersey, has turned up fears that some oil and gas exploration may threaten the lives of Western grey whales dwelling offshore of Russia’s Sakhalin Island.

With possibly less than 130 of the animals left, it is thought that seismic surveying in the area may cause the whales to move from this key feeding region and result in further scarcity of this already rare breed.

Speaking at the event, Richard Benyon, the U.K. Minister for Natural Environment and Fisheries said that such activity has the country “deeply concerned that ongoing industrial activities around Sakhalin Island continue to provide a threat to the population.”

The U.S. also voiced fears about how cumulative activities might impact the animals, and Belgium pointed out that the results of works conducted last summer are not yet known and the addition of a new platform for future activity may be misplaced. Environmental organisation WWF has also spoken out against the new platform installed.