Environmental Assessment
Volume E-4.3
Tailings Facility
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Ambatovy Project
166
January 2006
4.3
FISH AND AQUATIC RESOURCES
4.3.1
Introduction
This section presents the Environmental Assessment (EA) of the potential effects
of the proposed Ambatovy Project (the project) on fish and aquatic resources in
the tailings facility, within the Toamasina study area, and specifically addresses
fish communities, aquatic macro-invertebrates and habitat as outlined by the
Ambatovy Project Terms of Reference.
The EA presents a summary of baseline survey results and issues, followed by
the impact assessment. Detailed aquatic resources baseline reports, including
baseline methods, analysis and results specific to this component of the project
are located in Volume J, Appendix 3.1, Attachment 1.
4.3.2
Study Area
The Toamasina Aquatics study area (Volume A, Figure 7.2-3) is located south of
Toamasina, and includes the tailings facility, the process plant property and
associated service corridors and infrastructure for the process plant and tailings,
and future bridge location across the Pangalenes Canal. The tailings facility
Local Study Area (LSA) falls within the larger Aquatics study area and includes
the water bodies within and associated with the three valleys and sub-basins of
the Ambolona watershed affected by the tailings facility, and the service corridor
between the plant site and the tailings area.
4.3.3
Baseline Summary
4.3.3.1 Methods
Detailed seasonal sampling programs for fish, aquatic invertebrates, aquatic
macrophytes and general habitat characteristics were conducted at six
stream/river sites in the tailings LSA in 2004 and 2005 (Volume J; Appendix 3.1,
Attachment 1, Figure 2). Five sites were located in the Ambolona tributaries;
one site was located in an adjoining upstream watershed. A dry season (low
flow) sampling was conducted in September-October 2004, and a wet season
sampling in January 2005. Sampling sites were distributed within and
downstream of the tailings and to encompass drainages likely to be affected by
activities associated with the tailings operation.
One stream site sampled for the tailings facility was located on the service
corridor (road and pipelines) between the process plant and the tailings facility.
