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Marine Sand

September 6, 2023

GS Paper III Environment and Ecology

Context:

Six billion tonnes of annual sand extraction from the world’s ocean floors is causing irreversible harm to marine benthic life, as revealed by a new global data platform on marine sediment extraction.

About Marine Sand

  • Marine sand (or ocean sand) is a granular particle composed of silica, rock fragments and mineral particles.
Dredging:

  • Dredging is the removal of sediments and debris from the bottom of lakes, rivers, harbors, and other water bodies. 
  • It is a routine necessity in waterways around the world because sedimentation—the natural process of sand and silt washing downstream—gradually fills channels and harbors

Key Findings of Marine Sand Watch Platform:

  • Developed by: GRID-Geneva, a Centre for Analytics within the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).Estimation of Sand Dredging: Between four and eight billion tonnes of sand are being dredeged from the ocean floor every year. 
  • Sand Turbidity: The extraction of sand increases the turbidity of water. 
    • It changes nutrient availability and causes noise pollution, thus affecting marine organisms greatly.
Benthic organisms:

  • Benthic organisms live on or just beneath the bottom of the lagoon or in the intertidal zone (mainly mudflats). 
    • For Example: Sea anemones, Sponges
  • They are important links in the estuarine food chains, providing an important food source for fishes, birds, and mammals.
  • Impact on Living Organism: Not just benthic organisms, people living in coastal communities will also be severely affected by this magnitude of sand dredging.  Salinisation of Aquifers: Coastal or near-shore extraction can affect the salinisation of aquifers and future tourist development.
  • Ban on Marine Sand Export: Some countries — including Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia — have banned marine sand export in the last 20 years.

News Source: Down to Earth

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