Environmental Assessment
Volume E-4.3
Tailings Facility
Fish and Aquatic Resources
Ambatovy Project
176
January 2006
Table 4.3-4 Ecosystem Components, Parameters and Criteria for Fish and
Aquatic Resources
Question
Ecosystem Component Measurable Parameter
Evaluation Criteria
change in the quality and
availability of aquatic
habitat
headwater streams,
endemic fish, aquatic
macro-invertebrates
stream order and
exclusion length
water flow and prediction
fish habitat based on
estimated area
reclamation habitat type
loss of fish habitat
water quality and
suspended sediment
guidelines
qualitative assessment of
long-term changes to
aquatic biota community
structure
change in abundance of
aquatic biota, survival of
endemic species and
aquatic community
structure
endemic and native fish,
benthic macro-
invertebrates
fish / invertebrate
community structure and
diversity
results of physical habitat
and aquatic health
assessments
tailings operations and
discharge
water intake operation
subjective evaluation of
sustainability of the
resource; professional
judgment
conservation status (IUCN
2004 and published
checklists)
intake screening guidelines
(i.e., Canada DFO 1995)
water quality guidelines
for the protection of
aquatic life (CCME 1999)
change in fish health,
quality and use
locally harvested fish or
invertebrates
surface water quality and
prediction
local harvest
metal concentrations in
baseline fish tissue
predicted fish abundance
environmental health and
safety guidelines for
precious metal mining (IFC
2004)
suggested values from the
literature
subjective evaluation and
professional judgment
Use was also made of the conclusions of the surface water, groundwater, water
quality investigations and the preliminary design for the tailings and service
corridors.
