Phosphate mining does pose a threat

The Confederation of Namibian Fishing Associations (TCNFA) says it is not opposed to phosphate mining as long as it is not at the expense of the fishing industry, which employs more Namibians than the proposed mining will.
In a statement released by TCNFA chairperson Matti Amukwa, the confederation labelled bulk marine phosphate mining a threat to the environmentally sensitive Benguela marine ecosystem.
According to TCNFA, the potential environmental risks of the proposed Namibian Marine Phosphate (NMP) Sandpiper Project, as well as others that may follow, cannot be highlighted enough.
The organisation pointed out that while the fishing industry is tightly controlled, there are no regulations in place for any form of deep-sea mining.
“The need is obvious that marine phosphate mining regulations and monitoring control must be in place before mining is considered. The process also needs to address the need for focused Namibian legislation and national capacity development for the monitoring of deep-sea mining, with national responsibility as it is in the Namibian fishing industry.”
Amukwa also cautioned against the decision-making process being fast-tracked or steamrolled and called on the environmental commissioner to insist that due processes be followed.
TNCFA acknowledged that the fishing industry does disturb the seabed when trawling but said technology is in place to minimise this and limit by-catches of other bottom-dwelling species.
TCNFA is also concerned that the mining sediment plume could drift over fish breeding grounds and have a suffocating impact.
There is also the environmental concern of what impact the mined product will have once it leaves the mining dredger.
According to NMP, its 2012 EIA and Environmental Management Plan are fully compliant with the Environmental Management Act of 2007.
But TCNFA claims that NMP embarked on a terrestrial impact EIA in 2011 in order to address the mined sludge that is brought ashore to be processed and then abruptly stopped the process.
“The unfinished terrestrial EIA covers the risks of taking the mining unprocessed material, which is over four million tons annually, from the mining vessel to the shore for storage. When processed there is waste, some of which risks impacting the marine environment.
“Sludge mined onto a ship at sea addresses only the initial excavation of the seabed, but transport to land and further processing must be addressed as these aspects are considerable. How can NMP say their EIA is fully compliant if it doesn’t address these issues?” questioned TCNFA.
TCNFA demands that international marine scientists with knowledge of the Benguela Current ecosystem be independently appointed to conduct adequate research, including the terrestrial component of the proposed project.
According to TCNFA, NMP suggested that it would provide fertiliser to improve Namibia’s food security.
“The reason why Namibia has a problem with food security is because it is a dry country with extremely varying weather patterns. One can apply all the fertiliser in the world but without adequately spaced rain, the crop will give low yields. “The fishing industry helps meet the country’s food security needs with the Namibian Fish Consumption Promotion Trust in particular distributing large quantities of cheap but nutritious horse mackerel countrywide. If fish resources are environmentally negatively impacted, food security will also be affected.”
TCNFA reasons that this is ample justification for the necessity of a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) on expected cumulative impacts from marine phosphate mining.
According to TCNFA, NMP plans to dig up five million tons of seabed sediment annually, and if the project is approved it would open the door for other companies who are already waiting in line to do the same.

OTIS FINCK