Raging Oil in the Gulf of Paria

What happened?

On August 8th, 2021, a conservation group known as Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) announced that there had been an oil spill in Guaracara River which then flowed into the Gulf of Paria. The video circulated all forms of social media and is attached below (at the bottom). This oil spill seems to have stemmed from Paria Fuel Trading Company in Point-a-Pierre. This was because of a leaking pipe at the plant operations, but the cause of the leak is not certain. It is speculated that it is due to the lack of maintenance of the pipelines.

Figure 1: showing oil being scooped up from the Gulf of Paria (FFOS 2021)

Why is this bad?

Oil spills affect three main components of the environment, these are: water quality, the coastline, and the wildlife and marine life.

  • Water Quality: It is a known fact that water and oil do not mix. Water is denser than oil therefore oil floats on the surface of the water forming what is called a ‘slick’. This slick prevents light and oxygen from entering the water which causes the acidity of the water to increase and the quality of the water to decrease. The oil will eventually start to break down. A small amount of oil will evaporate while the rest will be broken down into smaller molecules and deposited on the ocean floor which will contaminate all the marine life in the area. Therefore, oil spills need to be cleaned up as quickly as possible.
Figure 2: showing an aerial view of the oil spill (FFOS 2021)
  • Coastline: Once the oil reaches any waterway, it is subjected to the elements. Waves and currents are responsible for the transportation of oil ashore. This oil acts as a blanket, covering every grain of sand, every rock, and any marine life in its path. This is the part of an oil spill that most people will see.
Figure 3: showing Gary Aboud addressing the oil spill (FFOS 2021)
  • Wildlife and Marine Life: The oil slick as we just learnt reduces the water quality by decreasing the amount of light penetrating the water and reducing the amount of oxygen that is dissolved. These are two main components that allow marine and aquatic plants to grow. Without it the plants will die and rot further worsening the water quality and therefore eliminates a food source for the many animals that depend on it. The reduction in oxygen also causes marine animals to be forced to migrate or they will die. Birds, however, are some of the worst affected by oil spills. When birds land on the surface of the water they become covered in oil which prevents them from being able to fly or feed which will eventually lead to their demise. 
    Figure 4: showing Gary Aboud rescuing a pelican covered in oil (FFOS 2021)

Where do we go from here?

Fishermen have been advised to be cautious when going out to sea or to avoid it, if possible, but this event will severely impact their livelihoods. The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) is investigating the leak and hopefully, clean up works begin soon. It is suspected that the oil spill occurred since August 5th, 2021, and the company tried to cover it up by breaking up the oil into smaller blobs using a boat to avoid the public knowledge but had no choice other than to report the leak on August 9th ,2021 due to the involvement of the FFOS.

Figure 5: showing where the oil spill possibly started on August 5th (FFOS 2021) 

Do you think Trinidad and Tobago is doing enough to protect our valuable environmental assets? 

Click here: Link to Video posted by FFOS

Comments

  1. Mikella HoseinAugust 15, 2021 at 8:37 AM

    Huh...thank goodness FFOS has such a powerful voice in lobbying for priority to be placed on environmental issues!

    ReplyDelete

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