The Opposition is asking the provincial government to reconsider its decision to pause the province’s offshore seismic work for the coming year.

The program, which has been undertaken annually for the last decade, will not be funded this year, prompting swift reaction from industry and the Opposition. But government says a sufficient amount of data has been collected, at least for the time-being.

Industry, Energy and Technology Minister Andrew Parsons says the decision to pause the $20-million dollar program is “not a cancellation at this point.”

He says they have a “significant stockpile of information” heading into the coming year’s bid round that will generate interest.

Noia says the seismic program employed more than 125 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians in 2020 and is vital for future development in the offshore.

The Opposition critic for Industry, Energy and Technology, Lloyd Parrott, says word that the 2022 program will not be financed is a concern as it will have an impact on residents across the province.

He says the path forward for oil and gas exploration is access to seismic data. “From my experience,” says Parrott, “this government doesn’t pause anything.” He believes that government is hoping people will simply forget about it.