BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
Minister of Environment Trevor Mahaga has said the Ministry is yet to receive the full Environmental Damage Assessment Phase 2 report on the Kangava Bay oil spill in East Rennell.
Mahaga informed Parliament when he responded to a question raised by the Leader of Opposition Mathew Wale on the floor of Parliament on Monday this week.
He said that the report will enable the Ministry to assist with the ongoing legal proceedings of the compensation claims.
Mahaga stated that the phase 2 EDA was funded by the Australian Government and was conducted last month by an international consultancy group in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.
“The co-work completed from this assessment is as follows. Over 100 underwater transects of fish, invertebrates, and benzoic carbon. 290 samples of marine sediments, fish, and invertebrates for hydrocarbon and TBT analysis. Detailed underwater and UAV surveys of the extent of grounding area impacts. And fourth, community meetings.”
He said that oil is still present on the reef and the beach at several locations within Kangava Bay, based on some initial observations.
He said that the main grounding area has not been recovered as much as would be naturally expected, and identification of several new areas of the reef that the ship impacted and caused significant damage.
He adds that the rubble the ship blasted into the lagoon from the propeller was spread over a large area of the lagoon, with limited recovery and a significant reduction in clam populations across many of the lagoon areas around the Bay.
“The recovery of the reef within the grounding area needs some active rehabilitation efforts. On the positive side, the oil on the shoreline has largely weathered and only parts of it are still present,” said Mahaga.
The oil spill disaster, involving the MV Solomon Trader in 2019, is one of the most severe environmental disasters in the country, resulting in the discharge of 3,000 tonnes of heavy oil, fuel into Kangava Bay and causing quite extensive damage to the marine ecosystem and the communities surrounding Kangava Bay.
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