EMA checks Gulf of Paria health after oil spills

The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) has engaged international experts to conduct an assessment in the Gulf of Paria.

In a release today, the EMA noted that during recent years, there had been an increase in the frequency of oil spills in the Gulf, "which may have originated from onshore and/or offshore oil and gas activities."

Noting public concern, the EMA said it started an Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) in April 2018 to identify the risks posed by chemical contaminants and recommend remedial action.

The Gulf of Paria supports fishing, recreation, oil and gas activities and is a main transportation route and receives land-based discharges from agricultural, industrial and domestic sources.

Communities along the southwestern coastline depend on the Gulf of Paria for fishing, crab-catching and oyster-catching.