GEOGRAPHY SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT What are the factors that negatively affect marine life in the Marine Park area from the Freeport coastline to the Dump Up Beach in Montego Bay, St. James? Submitted by: Christina Cameron Registration #: School: Mount Alvernia High School Territory: Jamaica Year: 2011
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GEOGRAPHY SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT
What are the factors that negatively affect marine life in the Marine Park area from
the Freeport coastline to the Dump Up Beach in Montego Bay, St. James?
Submitted by: Christina Cameron
Registration #:
School: Mount Alvernia High School
Territory: Jamaica
Year: 2011
TABLE OF CONTENT
Aim of Study……………………………………………………………………….3
Location of Study……………………………………………………………...…3-6
Method of Data Collection…………………………………………………………7
Presentation of Data…………………………………………………………….8-16
Statement of Conclusion………………………………………………………17-18
Bibliography………………………………………………………………………19
AIM OF STUDY
The aim of this study is to identify and explain the causes of pollution and effects
on marine life.
LOCATION OF STUDY
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METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION
Data was collected from field observation, books and also research.
On October 4, 2010 at approximately 3:44 p.m., the researcher took photographs of
pollution observed along the Dump Up Beach area. Additionally, on October 9,
2010, the researcher noted coastal pollution in a section of the Freeport coastline
and also along the Howard Cooke Boulevard. Furthermore, on October 11, 2010 at
4:23 p.m., the entire study area from Freeport coastline along to the Dump Up
Beach, was studied and records were made in an observation sheet.
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PRESENTATION OF DATA
The coast of the city of Montego Bay, St. James namely Freeport to Dump Up
Beach strip, is mainly used for commercial, tourism and recreational activities as a
result of the presence of cruise ship docks, mangrove forests, coral reefs, beaches,
seagrass meadows and a wide array of tropical reef fishes, turtles, lobsters, sponges
and their habitats. However, over the years, although locals have benefitted from
the lucrative industry, the marine life has been adversely affected.
Therefore, this area was chosen primarily to identify the different ways in which
the marine life is destroyed and determine methods of protecting the diverse
environment, thereby preserving the parish’s natural resources to yield wealth.
Data will be presented by using photographs, bar chart and a table.
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Sea
Beach
Pile of marl
Water settled in
truck tire tracks
Plate 1
In Plate 1, the photograph depicts construction along the coast on the Gloucester
Avenue. As seen, the pile of marl has made its way into the sea by surface run –
off, due to heavy rainfall.
According to Vohn Rahil in the New Caribbean Geography, sediments for example
marl, can be detrimental to the fish in this area, as suspended sediments in high
concentrations irritate the gills of fish, and will later result in death. Furthermore, it
was observed that this silt made the water cloudy or muddy. This will affect the
penetration of light into the water, which affects fish feeding and schooling
practices especially since this area is apart of the secondary management zone as
reported by the Montego Bay Marine Park.
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North Gully
Catchment
Debris
Plastic bottles
and bags
Beach
Plate 2
In relation to Figure 4 on page 14, this photograph displays that plastic bottles are
the most common garbage item found in the study area.
As advocated by the Montego Bay Marine Park, plastic bottles rarely sink or
biodegrades. This is devastating to marine life such as fishes and corals because in
comparison to sediments, it blocks sunlight which is needed for fish feeding,
schooling practices and also coral growth.
Additionally, the accumulated debris seen on the sand will also pose a threat to
marine life when it makes its short way to the sea by surface run – off. This is due
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to the fact that it will settle then bury and suffocate fish eggs which are located in
the fish replenishment zone of the Montego Bay Marine Park Fish Sanctuary.
Moreover, since turtles inhabit this area and the plastic bags present in Plate 2 will
eventually enter the sea, and will be mistaken for food by the animals thus causing
them to choke or suffocate and die.
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Varying
Boats water
colours
Beach
Garbage
Plate 3
In Plate 3, the photograph exhibits more coastal pollution along the Alice Eldemire
Drive. It can be seen that plastic bottles and bags are also on the beach.
Furthermore, the boats observed in Plate 3 will negatively affect marine life due to
oil leakages and chemicals from the exhaust of the boat engines with the different
colours of the water in the photograph (brown and blue) as evidence. This poor
quality of water will poison marine life especially fish and coral polyp because oil
reduces the oxygen content in the sea which is vital for their survival. Additionally,
these pollutants will endanger the fishes in this area as oil blocks their gills thus
preventing them from breathing.
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Lastly, the boats in Plate 3 will harm coral reefs in this region, as the dropping of
their anchors can break or crush them.
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Figure 4
Figure 4 illustrates the different types and total amount of garbage items seen at the
study area of the coastline of Freeport to Dump Up Beach.
The majority of fifty percent of garbage items observed were plastic bottles.
In addition, plastic bags which allocates for twenty-five percent of garbage items
were found on the sand, but primarily in the sea of Dump Up Beach.
Moreover, waste styrofoam products from local restaurants accounted for twenty
percent of the garbage items and was also found on the shore throughout the study
area.
Lastly, the remaining six percent consisted of debris and domestics waste such as