Navy Gets OK to Use Explosives for Ship Tests : Channel Islands: Environmentalists concerned over possible deaths of marine mammals vow to fight fisheries service action.

Despite concerns about incidental deaths of marine mammals, the National Marine Fisheries Service on Tuesday approved a Navy plan to detonate underwater explosives west of the Channel Islands to test the strength and durability of warships.

Beginning March 3, the Navy will have the authority to conduct the tests with underwater explosives that could involve the “incidental take” or death of some federally protected sea lions, seals or whales.

But with the approval came vows from environmentalists that they would fight the action in court or at sea.

The Navy plans to detonate the explosives--some as large as 10,000 pounds--in waters of the Outer Sea Test Range, situated about 60 miles west of the Point Mugu Naval Air Weapons Station in Ventura County.

The Navy will be able to conduct as many as 10 tests a year for five years but must seek reauthorization yearly from the fisheries service.

Fisheries officials said they decided to grant the Navy’s request because of safeguards that have been designed into the testing procedure that call for extensive pre- and post-test aerial observation flights. The Navy also agreed that testing would be halted should marine mammals be found in the test zone.

The test zone is in the migratory path of gray whales, and marine biologists have noted four species of seals and sea lions and 17 species of whales in the area. All of these species are protected by federal law, and some of them are listed by federal officials as endangered.

“We are pleased to be of assistance in providing additional monitoring and checkpoints so that our obligation to provide environmental protection for marine mammals is carried out appropriately while balancing our national defense obligations,” fisheries service Director Rolland Schmitten said in a statement.

Schmitten added that fisheries service biologists have spent more than a year surveying the Point Mugu test range and have pinpointed three sites where marine mammals are least likely to be located. The National Marine Fisheries Service is an agency within the Department of Commerce.

Alan Alpers, a Point Mugu spokesman, said the fact that the Navy’s permit provides for the incidental deaths of marine mammals does not mean that large numbers of marine mammal deaths will occur.

“Just because we have that authorization doesn’t mean that there will be a lot of animals killed,” Alpers said. “We have designed the testing procedure to very carefully prevent harming animal life.”

Lt. Cmdr. Frank Thorp, a Navy surface fleet spokesman in San Diego, said the test is part of a $35-million naval ship-shock trial program.

He said that initially the Navy will conduct the testing on one of its high-tech Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, the John Paul Jones. The Jones is equipped with the Navy’s “Aegis” weapons system--a computerized system capable of tracking and engaging multiple targets.

Thorp said the testing program is of critical importance in determining the “survivability” factor of new vessels before they face actual combat--specifically testing ship hulls, electronic systems and the vessels’ ability to protect its crew.

He added that the testing program was designed to meet the requirements of the National Defense Authorization Act that each new class of Navy ship undergo underwater explosive shock tests before being released to the fleet. The series of detonations are designed to simulate near misses from mines, torpedoes and other projectiles.

But according to representatives of local environmental groups, the fisheries service approval of the testing program showed the federal agency’s failure to protect the marine environment.

“I saw this coming down the tracks,” said Alan Godley, a Ventura environmental activist. “I’m disappointed because I think this show’s the Clinton Administration’s real disregard for protecting the marine environment.”

Maris Sidenstecker, co-founder of Venice-based Save the Whales, called the fisheries service decision “disgusting” and vowed to take legal action against the Navy before testing can begin.

“We are prepared to do what we have to do legally to try and stop this awful program,” Sidenstecker said. “There is too much on the line out there. The Marine Fisheries Service was set up to help protect the environment and they are not doing their job.”

Brian Brennan, a spokesman for the Ventura chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, said his organization’s board of directors will discuss the fisheries service approval and will consider taking action to help stop the testing.

“I don’t know, maybe we’ll organize an armada of sailboats that will just happen to be out there during the first day of testing,” Brennan said. “We see this as a big loss. It’s really disheartening to see that they can have so much of a callous disregard for the environment.”