Saba takes swift action to protect coral reefs amid harbor construction turbidity concerns
Residents of Saba can breathe easier as authorities halt harmful dredging practices that threatened local marine life. The Black Rocks Harbor project has adjusted methods to reduce turbidity, safeguarding coral health while continuing vital infrastructure work.
| Key Data Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Black Rocks Harbor, Saba |
| Issue | Increased turbidity due to dredging activities |
| Impacted Area | Western side of Saba, coral reefs |
| Immediate Action Taken | Stopped seabed fines disposal, amended excavation methods |
| Further Mitigation Measures | Silt/bubble screens under study, turbidity monitoring |
| Coral Relocation | Over 1,000 corals relocated to protect them from project impacts |
| Project Status | Ongoing, with environmental protection as a priority |
The Public Entity Saba (PES) is responsible for local governance and environmental protection on the island. In this case, PES is overseeing the Black Rocks Harbor project, ensuring that construction activities comply with environmental regulations and do not harm the island's delicate marine ecosystems.
Openrijk is free and ad-free
Do you value our work? Help us stay online with a small contribution.
external link to whydonate.comRead the full translated article below
Turbidity levels being monitored at Black Rocks Harbor Project
As a result of the Black Rocks Harbor project, turbidity in the area was noticed last week.
PES notes that this is a serious concern for the precious marine environment around Saba, and wishes to inform the community on the cause of the turbidity, which has been analyzed, and on the immediate action that was taken.
Excavation for the project is currently ongoing, where natural seabed materials (boulders, rock, sand and fines) are being dredged. This dredged material is being re-used to construct the inner core of the breakwater and to create temporary bunds needed for the dredging of the basin. As such seabed fines were disposed back into the water. These very fine silty particles were taken along by longshore current all the way to the western side of the island, visible as a plume.
As this could negatively impact the health of corals, the contractor was contacted and stopped these activities. The method of excavation has meanwhile been amended and fine particles are now filtered out on land to avoid that these seabed fines get suspended in the seawater. Further mitigations such as a silt- or bubble screen are being studied and will be implemented where necessary.
The harbour project will continue to monitor turbidity levels in the seawater. If levels are over critical values, turbidity causing works will be stopped and methodology further amended.
Protection of the marine environment has been at the forefront of this project. Last year over 1,000 directly impacted corals have successfully been relocated to an outplant location to the east of the project site. Several marine areas around Saba received a higher protection status, and there are also plans to create an artificial reef as compensation measure.