Overview of Coastal and Marine Pollution
Brent Newman
Coastal Systems research group,
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR),
Durban, South Africa
([email protected])
GROWING THE SOUTH AFRICAN OCEAN ECONOMY: CURRENT STATUS,
CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Parliamentary Portfolio Committee: Environmental Affairs
20 June 2017
1
What is Pollution?
2

Pollution is the introduction by man, directly or indirectly, of substances or energy into
the marine environment (including estuaries) resulting in deleterious effects that
include hazards to human health, harm to living resources and to marine ecosystems,
damage to amenities or interference with other legitimate uses of the sea.



Chemical
Thermal
Biological
Operation Phakisa Thrusts
SIX FOCUS AREAS
1. Marine Protection Services and Governance
2. Marine Transport and Manufacturing
3. Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration
4. Aquaculture
5. Small Harbour Development
6. Coastal and Marine Tourism
DEA has produced State of Oceans and Coasts reports – provides excellent broad
understanding of condition of our oceans and coasts.
 At this time little focus on non-biological toxins.

3
Sources of Coastal and Marine Pollution?
4
Major local impact, but minimal contribution in global scheme.
Sources of Coastal and Marine Pollution?
LAND BASED DISCHARGES
o About 80-100% of pollution in coastal and marine environment from land-based sources.
Wastewater discharge
5
Stormwater discharge
Sources of Coastal and Marine Pollution?
DUMPING
 All ports must be dredged for safe vessel
navigation and development.
 Contaminants transferred to disposal site in
dredged material.
Dredging entrance to Durban Bay
6
Sources of Coastal and Marine Pollution?
MARITIME TRANSPORT
 Anti-fouling coatings – estimated 42 tons
(antifouling chemicals) copper and 850 kg
Irgarol leached into Dutch coastal waters
2007 as a result of vessel traffic.
 Large number of vessels call at/pass
annually.
7
of
of
in
SA
Sources of Coastal and Marine Pollution?
ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION
 Atmospheric pollution – particulates deposited
in sea.
8
Pollution Hotspots
POLLUTION HOTSPOTS
Estuarine and marine
pollution hotspots focussed
on cities.
o In KwaZulu-Natal estuaries
over a large part of the
province are in a poor state
= ribbon development.
o Large volumes of
wastewater discharged
directly or indirectly to sea
each day.
o
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Estuarine pollution status
Ocean Economy and Pollution
MARINE TRANSPORT AND MANUFACTURING

10
Strong drive for vessel and oil rig construction and repair, and hull cleaning operations in
SA ports.
Ocean Economy and Pollution
MARINE TRANSPORT AND MANUFACTURING



11
Ballast water, hull cleaning.
Biological pollution – invasive species.
92 known estuarine and marine invasive species in South Africa.
So What?
MARINE TRANSPORT AND MANUFACTURING

Sediment near all vessel construction and repair facilities in SA ports is contaminated,
often severely.
Floating dry-dock
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Paint flakes –
antifouling
coatings
CT
CT1
CT2
CT3
CT4
CT5
CT6
CT7
C 8
CTT9
CT10
CT11
CT12
CT13
CT14
CT15
CT16
MB17
MB1
MB2
MB3
MB4
MB5
MB6
PE71
PE2
PE3
PE4
PE5
PE6
PE7
PE8
P
PE1E9
PE10
P 1
NQE12
NQ14
NQ15
NQ16
N 17
NQQ5
NQ18
EL31
EL2
EL3
EL4
EL5
E
DBL6
DB1
DB2
DB3
DB4
DB5
DB6
DB7
D 8
DBB9
DB10
DB11
DB12
DB13
DB14
DB15
DB16
1
RB 7
RB1
RB2
RB3
RB4
RB5
RB6
RB7
R 8
RBB9
RB10
RB11
RB12
RB13
14
Copper EF

75
60
45
20
13
18000
12000
6000
1500
1200
0
CT
CT1
CT2
CT3
CT4
CT5
CT6
CT7
C 8
CTT9
CT10
CT11
CT12
CT13
CT14
CT15
CT16
MB17
MB1
MB2
MB3
MB4
MB5
MB6
PE71
PE2
PE3
PE4
PE5
PE6
PE7
PE8
P
PE1E9
PE10
P 1
NQE12
NQ14
NQ15
NQ16
N 17
NQQ5
NQ18
EL31
EL2
EL3
EL4
EL5
E
DBL6
DB1
DB2
DB3
DB4
DB5
DB6
DB7
D 8
DBB9
DB10
DB11
DB12
DB13
DB14
DB15
DB16
1
RB 7
RB1
RB2
RB3
RB4
RB5
RB6
RB7
R 8
RBB9
RB10
RB11
RB12
RB13
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Tributyltin (µg.kg-1)
So What?
MARINE TRANSPORT AND MANUFACTURING
Sediment near all vessel construction and repair facilities in SA ports is contaminated,
often severely.
Cape Town
Cape Town
Mossel
Bay
Mossel
Bay
Port
Elizabeth
Port Elizabeth
Ngqura
Ngqura
East
London
East
London
Durban
Durban
Richards Bay
16
12
Poor
8
4
0
Fair
Good
Richards Bay
Poor
900
600
300
Fair
Good
So What?
COASTAL AND MARINE TOURISM
o
o
o
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Bacterial and virus pollution affects tourism and cultural practices.
Main sources are contaminated river and stormwater entering sea.
Estimated Blue Flag value to Margate was R17-25 million in 2008.
So What?
IMPACTS ON ECOLOGICAL HEALTH AND TOURISM

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Wastewater a MAJOR factor influencing state of
estuaries (includes that from informal settlements).
Over-stimulation of algal growth (eutrophication)
So What?
IMPACTS ON LIVELIHOODS AND RECREATION


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Estuaries and sea are connected – affect each other.
Estuaries are important nursery areas for fish, including those targeted by subsistence,
recreational and commercial fisheries.
So What?
IMPACTS ON HUMAN HEALTH

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Insidious ecological and human health risks.
So What?
IMPACTS ON HUMAN HEALTH
• As few as 3 – 5 meals of some fish in Durban Bay should be consumed to limit health risks
(including cancer risk) due to contaminants in their tissue.
• What does this cost the economy in terms of health services, illness etc?
Location
Durban Bay
Durban Bay
Durban Bay
Durban Bay
Durban Bay
Durban Bay
Durban Bay
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Species
Sphyraena jello
Valamugil buchanani
Myxus capensis
Liza dumerili
Liza tricuspidens
Mugil cephalus
Pomadasys commersonnii
Meal Limit
3
3
25
4
2
3
5
Spotted grunter - Pomadasys commersonii
Ocean Economy and Pollution
SMALL HARBOUR DEVELOPMENT

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Present many of the same impacts found in large ports, but on a smaller scale.
Ocean Economy and Pollution
AQUACULTURE
Requires clean water.
Strict controls on seafood importation into many countries based on chemicals and
bacteria in and on flesh.
o DAFF currently evaluates status of seafood exports.
o Conflicts = Saldanha Bay mussel and oyster ranching versus oil rig servicing drive!
o
o
o
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Aquaculture facilities are sources of pollutants themselves!
Ocean Economy and Pollution
OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION


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Little information available, but this is in its infancy in SA!
We have virtually no understanding on contaminants and pollution in SA’s greater EEZ –
most studies restricted to a few kilometres at most from the shoreline.
Conclusions
MOST CRITICAL ISSUES
REQUIRING ATTENTION?
Wastewater discharge (and other)
impacts on estuarine ecosystems
require URGENT ATTENTION –
requires coordinated approach
between DWS, DEA and municipalities
in terms of wastewater.
 Finalise and IMPLEMENT Estuarine
Management Plans.

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Conclusions
MOST CRITICAL ISSUES REQUIRING ATTENTION?
 Plastic pollution (Peter has addressed).
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Conclusions
MOST CRITICAL ISSUES REQUIRING ATTENTION?
 Green
city and port planning to reduce input of contaminants via
wastewater and stormwater.
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Conclusions
MOST CRITICAL ISSUES REQUIRING ATTENTION?
 Working with nature in ports – think ecological in design.
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Conclusions
MOST CRITICAL ISSUES REQUIRING ATTENTION?
 Fund
research – we can only understand pollution impacts through
measurement.
 New challenges will arise.
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Thank you
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