Katina P Oil Spill Disaster - an assessment of impacts to the mangroves and prawns

An assessment of oil spill damage to the mangroves and prawn fishery in Maputo Bay, Mozambique.(1997)

Coastal Management Policy Programme for South Africa:

Appointed by the Project Management Team to review and edit the series of thirteen documents produced by the CMPP to produce the green paper on coastal zone management for the entire South African coastline (1998). This document formed the basis of the current White Paper on Coastal Zone Management.

Durban Port Container Handling Study:

Appointed by Common Ground Consulting as part of a team investigating options for expanding Durban’s container handling capacity. Our responsibilities included specialist input into an initial scoping report on the proposed plans followed by specialist input into a full environmental impact assessment (1997-1999).

Mkomazi Estuary: An assessment of the biophysical environment

This study has been done annually for SAPPI – SAICCOR Umkomaas since 1997 to assess the biological condition of the Mkomazi estuary as a requirement of their water permit (1997 – 2001 ongoing)

Coastal Economy Specialist Study

We were part of a six person team commissioned to do an analysis of the economic significance of the South African coast as a basis for informing coastal policy. (1998)

Mhlathuze Estuarine Freshwater Requirement project

An assessment of the significance of this estuary to the commercially important penaeid prawn resource of the KZN coast (1999)

Nhlabane Lake and Estuary Study

Commissioned by Richards Bay Minerals to assess the impact of the second dredger crossing of the Nhlabane Estuary and monitor conditions in the lake. This two year project was completed in April 2000.

Thukela Estuarine and Marine Impact Assessment

M.E.R. is currently co-ordinating and participating in the Marine & Estuarine Environmental Impact Assessment, for the Department of Water Affairs. This component fits into the large scale Thukela Water Project (TWP) which is looking at the environmental, social and economic impacts of damming the Thukela River. This project was completed at the end of July 2000.

Assessment of prawn catches taken by the Pescamar fleet and specifically MFV “PESCAMAR NOVE”

Shepstone & Wiley contracted MER to provide an assessment of prawn catches of the MFV Pescamar Nove from Sofala Bank, Mozambique as part of the evidence related to a claims case on the MV Jolly Rosso. (completed April 2001)

The impact of a spill of turbid water on the benthic fauna of the northern basin of Lake Nhlabane.

A biomonitoring impact assessment to investigate the impacts of a spill of turbid water from one of the mine dredge ponds into the northern basin of Lake Nhlabane (completed September 2001).

Molluscan Survey of the Sokhulu Reservoir and Nhlabane System

MER was tasked with sampling and cataloging the molluscan fauna of the Sokhulu Reservoir with a view to assessing the risks of inter basin transfer of molluscan species between Sokhulu and the Nhlabane system. (completed August 2001)

Rapid benthic survey of the Nhlabane Estuary

MER was asked to carry out a rapid survey of the benthos of Nhlabane estuary with a view to assessing changes to this community since entering the operational phase of the new weir. (completed March 2002)

Assessment of the Shoreline Vegetation of Lake Nhlabane

This project is aimed at assessing the current state of the fringing vegetation of Lake Nhlabane using GIS to quantify existing plant communities and estimate changes in the vegetation since the raising of the lake level. (completed August 2002)

Construction of a boardwalk through the Isipingo Mangroves – environmental and socio-economic implications

A scoping report to investigate the impacts of the construction of a boardwalk through the Isipingo estuary and mangroves. (completed November 2002)