St. Maarten Private Eye

Love the Lagoon, Environmental Protection in the Caribbean

Best Management Practices for Oil and Fuel use and storage

Some of the environmental challenges the Simpson Bay Lagoon faces from boating and marina activities come from oil and fuel leakage, vessel maintenance, runoff water from boatyards and vessel operations.

Environmental Impact of Oil and Fuel pollution
Oil spills even those resulting from just a single quart of oil, can have extensive impacts on the marine environment, fisheries, tourism and recreation. Crude or unrefined oil consists of an assortment of light and heavy hydrocarbons and other matters. Refined oils like diesel and fuel oil are derivatives of crude oil.

Oil spills can limit the amounts of light absorbed by marine plants killing off their cells and thereby reducing the amount of food available for zooplankton, fish and other marine life. Marine organisms such as fish and turtles may absorb hydrocarbons from oil contaminated food directly into their bodies, the concentrations of these chemicals then accumulates in organisms higher up in the marine food chain.

Seabirds can become covered with oil which causes them to lose the ability to regulate their body temperatures and the ability to swim or fly, they often drown as a result. Animals such as turtles that must surface to breathe may become coated with oil. If vegetation such as mangroves along the shoreline is effected, this may lead to the loss of vital habitats for many other species.

Oily water, petroleum fumes, dead fish and birds are not a pleasant sight, this can hurt communities such as Sint Maarten that rely on tourism as their main economic pillar.

A major oil spill in the Simpson Bay Lagoon would be tremendously devasting as the limited circulation of Lagoon water would cause the oil to remain in the area for an extended period of time unless cleaned up.

What Boaters Can Do to avoid Lagoon pollution by oil and fuel.

• Use oil absorbent pads in bilges of boats with inboard engines to avoid discharging oily water from your boat.
• Maintain your engine and keep it in good working order.
• Use caution when adding oil and fuel to your boat. Fill inboard tanks to only 90 percent capacity to avoid spills.
• Dispose of your used oil responsibly at a collection facility or call Oilmop.
• Do not use diswashing liquid or detergent to disperse an oil spill. This practise adds pollutants to the water and forces the oil down into the water column
• Have an emergency “spill kit” at hand at all times.

What Marinas can do to avoid Lagoon pollution by oil and fuel

• Provide waste oil, used oil and fuel filter receptacles that are clearly marked and regularly emptied responsibly.
• Provide absorbent pads at fuel docks to mop up spills on boats or dock.
• Install emergency shut-off devices at all fueling stations.
• Have Spill response kits with booms, pads and absorbents available at all fueling and service facilities.
• Inspect fuel holding tanks, hoses and nozzles regularly.
• Use Safety impact valves on dispensers.
• Trained marina staff should be present during fueling and must have direct access to emergency shut-off devices.
• Promote the use of automatic/ back-pressure shut-off nozzles and fuel/air seperators on air vents, vent guards, or tank stems of inboard fuel tanks.
• Install oil and water separators at marinas to pump oil- or fuel contaminated bilge water into when oil absorbent pads become overwhelmed.
• Provide clear signs and pamplets that explain the precautions that customers and staff members should take to prevent oil spills
Make sure you read the next Lagoon Log for more information on the Environmental threats the Lagoon faces.

Rueben J. Thompson
Project Manager Love the Lagoon,
Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC)

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