No significant wildlife casualties in areas hit by oil spill on St John’s, Lazarus islands
SINGAPORE - No significant wildlife casualties were observed in the oil-slicked areas of St John’s and Lazarus islands on June 16, but conservationists say they are on alert for longer-term ramifications for nature as it could take time for the impacts of oil spills to manifest.
The situation on both islands – connected to each other by a bridge – was much improved from the day before as clean-up efforts progressed, although oil slicks could still be seen in certain lagoons and bays.
A strong smell of oil still lingered in certain parts of both islands, and there were barnacles and snails coated in oil.
But no dead fish or oil-drenched creatures were spotted by volunteers and marine scientists who took part in a biodiversity survey coordinated by the National Parks Board (NParks). Some participants even observed fiddler crabs and a black-tipped reef shark in the waters off St John’s Island.
Dr Karenne Tun, director of NParks’ National Biodiversity Centre, told The Straits Times: “Floating oil patches were still sighted on the seawalls of Lazarus Island.
“No significant impact to marine biodiversity had been observed, though oil was observed on the roots of some mangrove plants in the area.”
Mr Kua Kay Yaw, one of the volunteers who took part in the June 16 survey, said: “It is a good sign that we did not see any wildlife in distress today, but we will have to monitor the situation. It could take a while before we see the true impacts from the oil spill.”
For example, oil slicks at Bendera Bay – an enclosed lagoon on St John’s Island where seagrass beds and coral tables for marine research are located – could affect the life there, said Mr Kua, who is from the Nature Society (Singapore)’s marine conservation group.
He added: “From what I saw, I’m still rather optimistic that the impact is not that bad. But we will need further investigations and surveys after the oil slick is cleaned up to determine the actual impact.”
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St John’s and Lazarus islands, located about a 40-minute boat ride from Marina South Pier, are part of Singapore’s southern island chain. They were among the locations worst hit by the oil spill, which was caused when the Netherlands-flagged dredging boat Vox Maxima hit the Singapore-flagged bunker vessel Marine Honour, which was stationary, at about 2.20pm on June 14.
The damaged cargo tank on Marine Honour – which was next to a container vessel berthed at Pasir Panjang Terminal – leaked oil into the sea.
By the morning of June 15, the thick oily sludge had made its way to St John’s Island and sparked concerns among marine conservationists and scientists about its impact on marine life in the area.
NParks coordinated the biodiversity survey on June 16 to document the extent of the oil spill, and to keep an eye on whether any wildlife was in need of rescue. About 20 experienced volunteers, including marine scientists and conservationists, fanned out across St John’s and Lazarus islands for about four hours in the afternoon.
Singapore’s southern waters are a hot spot for marine biodiversity. Most of the nation’s coral reefs are found in the area, which is also where animals like dolphins and sea turtles can be spotted.
A lagoon with oil slick on Lazarus Island. ST PHOTO: AUDREY TAN
Mr Stephen Beng, chair of the Friends of Marine Park community – a voluntary network that includes marine scientists, boaters and ocean-dependent business owners – said the oil spill happened right at the start of the nesting season for the critically endangered hawksbill turtle.
These marine reptiles nest on sandy seashores, and it is still unclear what impact the toxic oil could have on their eggs.
Turtles also need to come to the surface of the water to breathe, and could potentially ingest the oil in the process, Mr Beng noted. Coincidentally, World Sea Turtle Day is celebrated worldwide on June 16.
NParks’ Dr Tun said the board’s marine turtle conservation programme includes carrying out research, monitoring and conservation efforts together with the community, such as with researchers, Friends of Marine Park, and through a biodiversity beach patrol where the community helps report sightings of sea turtles along Singapore’s shores.
“Furthermore, monitoring of turtle sightings, nests and hatchlings is carried out regularly,” she said.
Dr Tun added that the biodiversity beach patrol scheduled for the morning of June 16 was cancelled due to the closure of the beachfront at East Coast Park areas B to H for oil spill clean-up works.
“The patrols will resume once the areas are reopened,” she added.
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The spill comes about a month after Singapore announced plans to designate its second marine park – which will comprise the southern part of Lazarus Island and the reef off Kusu Island – in its southern waters.
Parts of the first marine park – the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park – were also affected by the spill, with rocky shores at St John’s Island’s western end coated in oil.
Dr Jani Tanzil, facility director of the St John’s Island National Marine Laboratory, was relieved to find that the seawater supply to the marine lab on the island was not affected by the oil spill.
“Our researchers are monitoring how badly their study sites on the island are affected by the oil spill,” she said.
Dr Tanzil and researchers from the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University also collected samples of water and nerite snails – algae-eating creatures commonly seen on mangroves and rocky shores – to assess the impact of the oil spill on the marine environment.
Oiled-up nerite snails collected by marine scientists from St John’s Island on June 16. PHOTO: JANI TANZIL
A coral reef scientist, Dr Tanzil said the surveys showed that the sub-tidal corals – referring to corals which are always submerged underwater and not exposed to air at low tide – would likely not be too badly affected by the oil spill since oil floats on water.
However, these corals are still suffering from a bleaching event caused by higher-than-usual sea surface temperatures, she said.
Mr Beng said the oil spill adds to the human-caused stress factors confronting marine life in Singapore.
“They’re facing a triple whammy of rising sea surface temperatures caused by climate change, pressure from human activities such as overfishing, and now one of the most environmentally damaging forms of pollution that can cause long-term side effects to our local ecosystems.”
Protecting the ocean is not just about protecting marine biodiversity, although it is important, said Mr Beng.
Bleached corals under an oily sheen seen from Lazarus Island. ST PHOTO: AUDREY TAN
The oil spill’s impact on businesses such as boat charterers and anglers, as well as members of the public out to enjoy the sun, sand and sea, shows the importance of maintaining the health of the ocean, he added.
“As long as people rely on the ocean in some form or another, the health of the ocean would have an impact on them.”
That the community could rally so quickly in times of crisis, working with NParks to document the impacts of the oil spill on the marine environment, was testament to the trust and relationship built up over the years since Friends of Marine Park was set up in 2017, Mr Beng said.
“We all see the value in protecting what ocean resources remain, and leveraging good relationships helps us respond better,” he said.
Ms Keterina Chong, a volunteer from International Coastal Cleanup Singapore who was part of the NParks survey, said it was fulfilling to be able to help out with it.
“Being physically on-site to witness the impact of the oil spill is a good experience. While we didn’t see any fauna in distress as a result of the oil spill, it was sad to see coral bleaching. The mangrove patch near the St John’s Island jetty also had oil stuck to its roots, which makes me wonder how it will impact the trees.”