NEWS: Mauritius still investigating Oil Spill damage

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 08:22 am

A saddening sight on the Mauritius coastline.

Two months after a cargo loaded with gasoline ran aground off Mauritius, the shores are nonetheless taking inventory of the damage.

The wealthy fishing grounds and touchy marine habitats have been severly damaged via the oil.

Conservationists are mainly worried about the long-term ecological injury to the island’s marine ecosystems.

“There is seen pollution, and invisible pollution. Some of the oil doesn’t flow but dissolves in the sea. The fish eat it, the coral absorbs it, it goes into the ecosystems”, environmental specialist Sunil Dowarkasing said.

The oil itself is acknowledged as VLSFO — a fuel oil much less viscous and decrease in sulphur than conventional fuel oils.

But this newer technology oil is poorly understood in terms of its environmental impact, said Ware.

“They are quite new to us, compared to the heavy fuel oils that we commonly used to deal with… That is why we need to study this, and this will truly assist for future oil spills elsewhere.”

The tourism industry, quintessential to the country’s economy, has suffered a heavy blow, in what is the worst environmental catastrophe ever witnessed in the Indian Ocean archipelago. Following a 2nd Oil spill a few weeks after in Sri Lanka, Mauritius Prime Minister Jugnaut has known as for a regional response to be put in action.

In the hope to avoid any futher disasters of the sort in the future. “At the same time, there is a want for a review of governance rule regarding bunkers and tankers.

Mauritius takes place to be on an vital and busy sea lane between the West and the some distance East and is consequently at once concerned.” endured PM Jugnaut.

(AFP)