Environmental Assessment
Volume C-4.3
Slurry Pipeline
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Ambatovy Project
142
January 2006
Fish health was judged by interpretation of predicted water quality and quantity
data.
4.3.7.3 Mitigation
Construction and Operation
•
Limit access (through consultation with local representatives) to areas
identified that contain rare endemic populations targeted for protection.
•
Regulated closure of waters to construction personnel.
4.3.7.4 Results
Development and upgrading of additional access roads into the watersheds of the
slurry pipeline will create additional unquantifiable amounts of local access to all
watercourses crossed by the pipeline. A majority of artisanal fish harvest
observed in the LSA was for exotic species (Section 4.3.3.3); improved access
may result in some additional fishing pressure from nearby villages. Of greater
concern is the large influx of people associated with the construction camps
(up to 400 people per camp). A significant negative impact may occur on local
fish communities or aquatic biota if harvest is unregulated. These impacts are
considered moderate to high, but local in extent.
Changes to fish health and condition could occur on a local level as a result of the
effect of increased sediment entrainment during instream construction activities,
accidents and spills into waterbodies, effluent discharges, and deposition of air
emissions during construction into local waterbodies, affecting water quality
downstream of the pipeline. The management plans related to sediment input,
surface water withdrawal and effluent discharge will limit these changes to
accepted standards and will also be monitored. Therefore the effects on fish
health and condition are considered low after mitigation, with a low
environmental consequence.
4.3.7.5 Impact Analysis
Residual Impacts
Residual impacts of changes to the artisanal fisheries as a result of the Ambatovy
Project slurry pipeline construction, operation and closure are summarized in
Table 4.3-12.
