Even as fisherfolk in Kerala are in protest mode, Prof A Biju Kumar of the Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, University of Kerala produced a succinct 21-page report detailing the possible impact of offshore sea sand mining on marine biodiversity and coastal livelihoods and demonstrating how independent academia might influence policy.
“Sand is an essential resource, forming the backbone of modern infrastructure and industry. Without it, there would be no concrete, asphalt, glass or electronics,” begins the report, describing how sand, the most consumed natural resource after water, has seen huge surge in demand – in the past two decades, aggregate consumption has tripled, reaching about 50 billion tonnes annually.
Ocean sand, the professor argues, should be seen within the broader coastal and marine socio-ecological system of which it is a part. “Naturally occurring sand plays a critical role as both a connector and a buffer at the land-sea interface, linking marine and terrestrial ecosystems while stabilizing coastlines and mitigating erosion.
Under the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023, auction-based allocation of these resources will begin; while earlier, sand sea mining was barred for private players, citing national security concerns, the amended act allows private parties; it also grants the Centre the power over these resources, which was earlier under the purview of state governments.
The process of auction of offshore mineral blocks is ongoing for the Kerala coast – February 18 was the last date for companies to submit expressions of interest; on February 27, the tender process is set to be completed. In the first phase, 242 sq km stretch of the Kollam coast could be opened up for exploitation.
“Quilon Bank, also known as Kollam Paaru, is one the most productive fishing zones on the southwest coast of India…This fertile fishing ground, located between Kollam and Alappuzha districts, supports a rich marine biodiversity, including deep-sea prawns, shrimps, lobsters, sardines, mackerel and export oriented squid varieties,” the report explains, making a case for caution in tampering with this vital resource that sustains so many fishworkers.
The Fishery Survey of India confirmed that deeper offshore waters of Kollam are rich fishing grounds for deep-sea prawns and lobsters. “The region’s high productivity may be linked to the extended effects of upwelling, driven by drift currents extending towards the Wadge Bank,” the report states. Upwelling is the phenomenon of wind driving dense, cooler waters to the ocean surface. Kollam experiences strong monsoonal upswelling.
Deep sea coral ecosystems remain largely unexplored, and could be irreversibly impacted by sand mining, the report warns. Corals are included in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, which deals with endangered species.
Prof Kumar records that the Marine Monitoring Lab of the Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries of the University of Kerala has recorded five species of hard corals and over 30 of soft corals in the Kollam coastal region. Many of these are new records for the area. “These rocky reefs are biodiversity hotspots, playing a vital role in marine ecosystems,” the report states. About 242 sq km of the Kollam stretch are set to be auctioned, according to the plans of the Union government, in the first phase. Mining could occur up to 60 metres deep.
These rocky reefs, the report shows, sustain complex food webs and provide shelter to fish, sponges, algae and other species. They act as nurseries for the juvenile fish. They also protect coastlines from erosion and act as barriers against strong waves and storms. Destroying these through mining could have severe impact on marine biology and seriously impact the livelihoods of fishing communities that depend on them for a livelihood.
Sand mining is bound to increase turbidity and disturb sediments – light penetration in water will be impacted, affecting phytoplankton, the “primary producers in marine ecosystems”. Phytoplankton live in well-lit areas of the oceans, and like plants, obtain energy through photosynthesis. Their name comes from the Greek words that mean ‘plant’ and ‘wanderer’.
Nektonic organisms, that propel themselves through water columns without touching the ocean floor, will also be affected by sand mining, as it will become harder for them to “hunt, reproduce and breathe”. The dredging at Neendakara fishing harbour has already caused coastal waters in Kollam to experience high siltation; there are also heavy sediment loads washing into the Ashtamudi Lake.
Sand and gravel mining from the coast could also alter the motion of water, disturbing “hydrodynamic regimes”. Water circulation and current speed could be affected, altering even bottom contours and impacting the stability of the marine ecosystem.
Disturbance of sediments during dredging could throw the chemical balance of the system haywire, reintroducing pollutants into the water column and potentially leading to bioaccumulation of toxic metals in the food chain, the report warns. Once dissolved oxygen falls, fish will migrate.
The natural drift of sand will be hugely impacted by mining, and coastal shorelines that are crucial habitats could be left weaker and more vulnerable to tsunamis, cyclones and erosion.
There are environmental and social impacts that could be substantial, and remain difficult to anticipate accurately – destruction of spawning areas, increased seawater turbidity, decline in water quality – these are bound to occur but the scale and impact of these changes cannot be ascertained with accuracy in advance.
All the collected sand will need to be cleaned through multiple rounds of cleaning to remove clay and silt – and washing it will require freshwater from the land. “The economic implications of utilizing land-based freshwater sources for washing the extracted sand must also be carefully considered,” Prof Kumar states.
Sand deposits in the sea originate from rivers – with rivers dammed, natural replenishment of sand in sea is retarded. “The assumption that the extracted sand is primarily construction-grade must be substantiated,” Prof Kumar asserts.
Of the human population, fisherfolk will be most hard-hit by sea sand mining. “The environmental damage caused by sand mining disproportionately affects economically disadvantaged populations, despite government efforts to protect marine fishery resources such as the installation of artificial reefs along the Kerala coast,” the report states.
However, marine ecosystems lack clear physical boundaries, and the effects of deep sea sand mining could extend beyond the extraction site – it could have cascading impacts on global fisheries.
The researcher underlines that regulatory frameworks for offshore sand mining are still evolving, and the lack of guidelines makes for concerns about long-term sustainability of such activity. This is a question of the conservation of these precious resources for future generations.
It should be recalled here that on his recent trip to the US, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s eyes bulged as a journalist asked during the press conference if he had taken up the issue of Adani with the US President.
“World leaders do not sit to discuss personal matters,” he responded, coarsely gesturing with his hands.
Fisherfolk in Kerala are in protest mode; on March 12, they are set to march to Parliament to protest plans to start sand mining in the coast off Kerala.
In October 2022, the Union government revoked its own 2019 ban (for national security sake) on private parties mining sea sand.
In April that year, Adani had informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that it had registered two businesses – Alluvial Heavy Minerals Limited in Andhra Pradesh and Puri Natural Resources Limited in Odisha, to enter the BSM (beach sand mining) sector.
The laws were amended to allow the Centre to conduct the auction for such mining; these powers were earlier held by state governments.
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*Freelance journalist. Pix by Prof A Biju Kumar, screenshots from the report
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