Abstract

Coastal waters are one of the nation’s greatest assets, yet they are being bombarded with pollution from all directions. The heavy concentration of activity in coastal areas, combined with pollutants flowing from streams far inland and others carried through the air great distances from their source, plague coastal waters. This research was carried out in July 2020 with the main objective of investigating the impacts of industrial pollution on marine animals along the coast of Limbe, Cameroon. To achieve this goal, the following specific research objectives such as determining the sources of marine pollution and the impact it has on human beings. The research made use of observation, questionnaires and interviews. The results showed that industrial pollution causes the death of 35% of fish species; 30% of the fish is contaminated,15% of the fish experience increasing in egg mortality and 20% of the end up in degraded natural habitats. Therefore, industrial pollution has to be controlled to secure the livelihoods of the inhabitants of Limbe who mostly rely on fish as a source of proteins.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Coastal waters are one of the nation’s greatest assets, yet they are being bombarded with pollution from all directions. The heavy concentration of activity in coastal areas, combined with pollutants flowing from streams far inland and others carried through the air great distances from their source, are the primary causes of nutrient enrichment, hypoxia, harmful algal blooms, toxic contamination, sedimentation, and other problems that plague coastal waters. Reducing water pollution will result in cleaner coastal waters, healthy habitats that support aquatic life, and a suite of economic benefits , (EPA, 2003). Worldwide seas and oceans are under threat where recent accidental oil spills, such as the ERIKA tragedy or the IEVOLI SUN accidents, have jeopardized the marine environment, causing both immediate and long-term damage to coastal and marine habitats and ecosystems. The last tragedy in Alaska (December 2004) demonstrates the permanence of such phenomena (Valentukevičienė and  Brannvall, 2008).

Industrial activities along Cameroon’s coastal zone cover about 60% of national production. Despite the numerous benefits attributed to the industrial sector in Cameroon, pollutants like aluminum emanating from the industrial activities seems to be having a serious negative impact on the health of the marine ecosystem and that of man in general. Rivers and streams around the Douala (Bassa) industrial zone serve as dumping sites for industrial waste and discharge. These rivers registered the highest level of aluminum pollution in May to June 2000 ( Fongwe et al.,2000). Medical evidence reveal that long lasting exposure to significant concentrations of aluminum can lead to serious health effects like damage to the central nervous system, dementia, kidney and lung problems (Lenntech 2004).

Pollution is a grave threat to planetary health. Like climate change (McMichael ,2017), biodiversity loss, ocean acidification, desertification, and depletion of the world’s fresh water supply, pollution destabilizes the earth’s support systems and endangers the continuing survival of human societies (McMichael 2017; Rockström et al., 2009; Steffen et al., 2015; Whitmee et al., 2015). Pollution, especially pollution caused by industrial emissions, vehicular exhausts, and toxic chemicals, has increased in the past 100 years, with greatest increases reported in rapidly developing low and middle income countries (Lelieveld et al., 2015). Children are exquisitely vulnerable to pollution (Suk et al., 2006).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines pollution as the presence of a substance in the environment whose chemical composition or quantity prevents the functioning of natural processes and produces undesirable environmental and health effects. There are 2 different types of pollution and they are Point Source Pollution and Non-Point Source Pollution. Point Source pollution is pollution caused from a stationary location or fixed facility where pollutants are discharged; any single identifiable source of pollution. Examples include chemicals coming out of pipes; oil spill from ship and smoke from factories (EPA, 1998). Marine pollution is a broad category, consisting of oil pollution (including accidents with offshore oil and gas installations) and all other marine pollution as defined for example in MARPOL (the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973) The London Convention (Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter of 1972).

At one time, people thought the ocean’s vastness could dilute waste well enough to eliminate its impacts. However, we now known that some pollutants remain in the environment for years, decades, or even centuries, and can significantly alter marine ecosystems. The ocean is not able to convert, assimilate, or otherwise rid itself of all the waste we produce. Instead, it may be altered in ways that people never expected, limiting our ability to enjoy and reap the ocean’s benefits (National Research Council, 2009).

1.2 Problem Statement

Marine pollution is a problem that cannot be overlooked because of its serious reparations it has in marine ecology. Most municipal and industrial effluent in West Africa ends up in coastal areas with little or no pretreatment, posing risks to public health. Less than 10 percent of urban areas in Africa have access to sewerage services (World Bank, 2012). Pollution poses a health risk to fish, a critical resource in West Africa and a primary source of protein for coastal populations. It reduces the productivity of fisheries, by degrading the natural habitat, increasing egg mortality and decreasing egg quality. Legally captured fish stocks generate about $2.5 billion a year in Ghana, and the fishing industry employs 3 million people. Keeping fish healthy is thus crucial to development (World Bank, 2013).

In Cameroon the Atlantic coast is facing a huge problem as a result of pollution from different sources. Sources of pollution along the coastline of Cameroon may include coastal industrial activities, offshore oil and refinery activities, Sewage and solid wastes from coastal urban towns (Louis Suh, 2015). According to Oben and Oben (1999), the concentrations of Cu ranged from 0.00 – 0.26ppm in the surface water samples and from 0.00 – 0.25ppm in the bottom water samples in the Limbe estuary.

The establishment of The National Oil Refinery Company with its French acronym SONARA (Societe Nationale de Rafinerie) in the 1970s was welcomed with so much euphoria , but on the other hand ; the birth of this company came with its own challenges to the environment. Oil spill and leakages to cause pollution to aquatic life such as fish, birds and other marine wildlife. Routine shipping, runoffs and dumping of oil on the ocean surfaces happen every day. Oil causes suffocation to marine life because it does not dissolve. The oil also gets caught in feathers of seabirds making it difficult for them to fly and sometimes it kills some of them. A good number of human health impacts are associated with oil spills like cancer of the skin, (Louis Suh, 2015). This research seeks to cover the gap on the way forward of minimising industrial pollution along the coast of Limbe.

1.3 Research Objectives

The main objective of this research is to investigate the impacts of industrial pollution on marine animals along the coast of Cameroon case of Limbe. To achieve this goal, the following specific research objectives are set:

1.3.1 Specific Objectives

The specific objectives are;

1. To determine the various impacts of industrial pollution on marine animals along the coast of Limbe.
2. To determine the different sources of marine pollution along the coast of Limbe.
3. To identify the impacts of industrial pollution on human beings and biodiversity in the study area.
4. To evaluate measures to curb industrial pollution along the coast of Limbe.

1.4 Research Questions

The main research questions is: what are the impacts of industrial pollution on marine animals along the coast of Limbe?

1.4.1 Specific Research Questions

1. What are the various impacts of industrial pollution on marine animals along the coast of Limbe?
2. What are the different sources of marine pollution along the coast of Limbe?
3. What are the impacts of industrial pollution on human beings and biodiversity in the study area?
4. What are the measures to curb industrial pollution along the coast of Limbe?