This is my current news item presentation on the impacts of Mauritius Oil Spill. 

On July 25, 2020, a Japanese bulk carrier Wakashio ran aground on a coral reef south of Mauritius. The fuel oil began to leak on August 6^th and the ship eventually broke apart in mid-August. Although much of the oil was pumped out before the carrier broke in half, an estimated 1,000 tonnes of oil were spilled into the ocean.

The spill in Mauritius is disastrous for the coastal environment because of its location. Areas impacted are listed under the Ramsar convention on wetlands of international importance.  Therefore, it heavily impacted the biodiversity as Mauritius is home to over 1,700 marine species. The weather in the duration of the spill cleanup didn’t help with the situation as strong wind and current conditions started dispersing the spill quickly. Days after the oil spill, people found dead eels, starfish, dolphins, washed up to the shore.

These areas impacted are consisted of mangroves, seagrasses, coral reefs, which are all essential for the ecosystem. Toxic hydrocarbons released can bleach coral reefs and cause death. It is also found that the oil has infiltrated the mangroves along the shores as shown on this picture on the top. 

Oil spilled can end up underneath the surface water very quickly and the residues can be deposited in the sediments. Studies on long term impact of oil spill indicated that for most heavily oiled shores, it might remain in the ocean for a considerable length of time. There are several instances where oil has persisted for 25 years or more following a spill.

Here are some pictures of the Clean Up process and dolphins that have died and washed on shore. There were many volunteers that came to help with the clean-up. I remember that this was a hot topic on social media as they are raising awareness and recruiting more volunteers.

The oil spill has major impact on the island’s economy as tourism is one of the most important elements of the Mauritian economy. In 2019, tourist industry generated $1.6 billion and employs about a fifth of the country’s workforce.

Mauritius has a large tuna fishing industry. The oil spill has a big impact on marine wildlife so commercial fishing and seafood export would be impacted.

The oil spills have big social impacts as well. 3 weeks after the oil spill, around 100,000 protesters took the streets of the capital Port Louise. Citizens were angry that government didn’t take action in the two weeks between the carrier ran aground and the actual oil spill. They called the prime minister to step down for the poor handling of the spill. Demonstrations were also organized overseas in London, Paris, Geneva and Canada. Protests is still continuing recently and escalated quickly when militarized police were deployed against peaceful protestors last week. Of course, the oil spill isn’t the only factor that led people to protest. Other events include government suppressing public protests, arresting activists, restricting social media and denying any responsibilities.