Group calls for pause in seabed quarrying until cost to marine habitats known
MANILA, Philippines — The government should halt seabed quarrying and offshore mining until further research is done on the environmental effects of these activities, a coalition opposed to mining said.
Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) urged authorities to adopt a precautionary principle on seabed quarrying and offshore mining.
"There should be a halt in seabed quarrying projects considering the government still has to undertake economic valuation or natural capital accounting of our marine ecosystems," said Jaybee Garganera, national coordinator of ATM.
"Without knowing the value of our marine life, there is no way to determine the tradeoffs that come with destructive seabed quarrying and offshore mining," he added.
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BusinessWorld reported in May 2022 that the environment department declared a moratorium on new applications for permits for special exploration and for seabed quarrying. At the time, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau had six applications for government seabed quarry permit. These were still pending when the moratorium was announced.
Countries such as Germany, Costa Rica, France, Spain, Chile, New Zealand, and the Pacific island nations joined the call for a "precautionary pause" — a moratorium or an outright ban on seabed mining.
Fishers in Cavite province said the effects of seabed quarrying in Manila Bay have forced them to venture farther out to the waters of Bulacan or Zambales provinces or look for other sources of livelihood.
According to Advocates of Science and Technology for the People (AGHAM), quarrying operations are driving away fish in Manila Bay—due to pollution and noise. It warned that seabed quarrying will not only put coastal ecosystems, but also the country’s fisheries production, at risk.
According to fishers and scientists, filling materials used for ongoing reclamation projects in Manila Bay such as the New Manila International Airport in Bulacan are obtained from Cavite.
ATM’s Garganera also called on the government to investigate ongoing seabed quarrying projects with reported violations and immediately stop their activities.
"The Philippines has more sea water than land, hence we have many coastal communities that are dependent on the seas for their livelihood and daily life. These are the communities that will be negatively affected if seabed quarrying were to continue," he said.
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