Sierra Leone - State of the Marine Environment 2015

polluting type.The Freetown sewage waters get directly into the sea but they were formerly not considered as a serious pollution problem due to their limited volume. However, various reports and studies conducted in relation to coastal and marine pollution in Sierra Leone have revealed that the management domestic waste including sewage is a serious problem. The intense rate of urbanization is prominent along the Freetown Peninsula or Western Area, much of which is poorly planned or unplanned. Marine litter pollution hot spots are associated with this area. Marine litter also originates from shipping. Tourism infrastructure along the coast of Sierra Leone is currently limited and little pressure exists from this sector on the marine environment. A total of 12 potential risks for the marine environment in Sierra Leone have been assessed at the workshop. The assessment examined whether the risk is likely to exert a significant effect in a 5 or 50 years timeframe. The assessment is based on likelihood of occurrence and consequence for the environment. Shipping, coastal erosion, climate change and mining are identified as high risk factors that could have a high impact on the marine environment within 5 years. Fishing, oil and gas exploitation, pollution, tourism, port facilities and overfishing were identified as significant risks to the marine environment within 5 years. Harmful algal blooms and eutrophicationwere identified asmoderate to low riskwithin the 5 year timeframe. Considering a 50 year timeframe, the risks of all these factors will increase with several of the factors moving from the ‘significant’ to ‘high’ risk category. Eutrophication is considered as a moderate risk. The general outlook for the coastal andmarine environment of Sierra Leone could be said to have improved over the last five years. This is due to considerable awareness and positive national and regional actions which have resulted in conscientious environmental stewardship and its sustainability nationally and within the region.

habitats and species, are in a good to very good condition. An increased sedimentation is observed in several estuaries and bays along the coast and is problematic for these habitats (siltation). This phenomenon is related to intensification of agriculture and mining in inland areas. An increased turbidity is observed in the vicinity of Freetown. This is related to pollution, eutrophication and increased sediment and nutrient loads. A number of pressures have been analysed for their impact on the environment and socio-economy. Artisanal fisheries exert little pressure on the marine environment, while it contributes significantly to the local economy and local communities. Industrial fisheries exerts a more profound impact on the environment, but it is assessed that the impact so far is still limited. Industrial fisheries scores high in terms of costs and benefits for the local economy and society. The environmental impact of shipping is currently limited. The contribution of shipping to the local economy is rising, as shipping is increasing and brings economical developments. In general, considering the limited port infrastructure, the impact of ports in Sierra Leone on the overall marine environment is limited. Socio-economic benefits are rising as new port developments are underway. Submarine cables and pipelines presently exert almost no pressure on the coastal and marine environment of the country, as there are very few. Benefits of submarine cables and pipelines are high considering the value for communication and transport. Exploration and prospecting for oil and gas is in progress. Oil pollution of the beaches from sources external to Sierra Leone is a common characteristic. Oil pollution is usually limited, but medium to large pollution events have been recorded with a temporary serious nuisance. At this stage no visible effect on the coastal and marine environment has emerged yet. Marine pollution can be serious in some spots but, most of the time it is almost insignificant in most places. Pollution due to untreated industrial wastewater is currently limited as the few industries in Sierra Leone are mainly of a non-

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