Joint Efforts Propel Successful Oil Spill Cleanup in Tobago
In a significant achievement, over 51,000 barrels of oil and more than 16,056 cubic meters of waste have been cleared from Tobago’s coastal areas following the vessel grounding near Cove Reef on February 7th. As part of the recovery efforts, 480 freshwater and coastal wildlife species have been cleaned and released back into their natural habitats. These updates were shared during a recent Ministerial tour organised by the IMA in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries (MEEI), the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), and the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA).
The tour, held 56 days post-incident, featured key government figures including the Honourable Penelope Beckles-Robinson, Minister of Planning and Development; the Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis, Tobago West MP and Minister of Sport and Community Development; and Chief Secretary the Honourable Farley Augustine. They were joined by technocrats from the IMA, EMA, THA, and TEMA to assess the progress of cleanup and recovery operations.
Presentations were delivered by IMA Director Dr Ava Maxam and Mr Linford Beckles, Director for the Division of Infrastructure, Quarries, and Urban Development. Permanent Secretary Aarti Bedassie-Maharaj and Deputy Permanent Secretary Melanie John of the Ministry of Planning and Development as well as Deputy Permanent Secretary Marc Rudder of the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries, accompanied the Honourable Pennelope Beckles on the tour. Additional attendees included Mr Curtis
Douglas of the All Tobago Fisherfolk, Mr Siddeeq Ali from the Serpentarium, and Ms Denyse Montrose from the waste transformation organisation HALOS.
The visit focused on five critical areas:
- Salvage Operations: Initiatives to safely pump oil from the grounded vessel “Gulfstream” and conduct fingerprinting analysis.
- Ecosystem Vulnerability: A visit to the eco-sensitive Petit Trou mangrove wetland to emphasise the importance of marine management for disaster preparedness.
- Oiled Wildlife Response: Wildlife rescue operations conducted by Serpentarium at the Lambeau command center.
- Marine Food Security: Discussions with fisherfolk at the Shaw Park Food Hub about sustaining livelihoods and ensuring food quality through fish sampling and analysis.
- Waste Remediation: A visit to the Studley Park Landfill to discuss oil waste management and future waste transformation plans.
Ministers Beckles-Robinson, Cudjoe-Lewis, and Chief Secretary Augustine commended the dedication and hard work of all involved in the cleanup. They highlighted the importance of strategic partnerships among various agencies and the involvement of local communities. Minister Cudjoe-Lewis also acknowledged the support from the Guyana Coast Guard and the Government of Grenada. Minister Beckles assured continued backing from the IMA and EMA.
The IMA remains committed to monitoring the impacted wetlands, nearshore ecosystems, and fisheries to support ecosystem resilience, local livelihoods, and food security in Tobago. Through ongoing collaboration with stakeholders, the IMA aims to ensure the successful restoration and protection of Tobago’s coastal and marine environments.