Influence of Marine Pollution on Biodiversity in Namibe.

The marine ecosystem in the Namibe province has been constantly polluted due to the lack of vessel monitoring, absence of a management and conservation plan for the marine ecosystem, lack of basic sanitation, and insufficient environmental education. These factors have directly led to a decrease in water quality, reduction in biodiversity, and consequent imbalances in the food chain, particularly affecting the quality of fishery products.

The present project aims to develop a monitoring plan for the coastal area of Namibe by studying the influence of pollution on the marine ecosystem, specifically focusing on ballast water, discharge, and terrestrial pollution. The goal is to promote sustainable development of the region's economy. In addition to scientific research, the project aims to involve the entire community and stakeholders such as the fishing community, municipality, fish processing industry, port administration, etc., in analyzing the current environmental conditions and seeking synergies to resolve the problems and promote sustainable development.

The project will be conducted in two distinct phases: (i) Environmental diagnosis of Namibe Bay and (ii) Monitoring Plan for Namibe Bay, which will be sequentially organized. Phase I will last for 16 months and will include three activities: a workshop involving regional stakeholders, sampling and sample preservation, and assessment of the environmental and biological quality of the Namibe coastal system. Phase II will follow Phase I and will include one activity: the development of an environmental monitoring plan for the coastal area of Namibe to promote sustainable development in the region.

The benefits resulting from solving this problem include scientific knowledge of the causes of marine biodiversity reduction in Namibe, as it is a key national provider of fishery resources, and there has been a significant decline in fish catches in recent years, causing socio-economic instability among the Angolan population, particularly in Namibe. It will enable the creation of a management and conservation plan for the marine ecosystem, implementation of appropriate measures to reduce marine pollution, restoration of ecological integrity, and minimization of socio-economic impacts resulting from pollution. It will also improve the quality of fishery products, implement adequate measures to monitor ballast water (ballast water management), and raise awareness among the population about the consequences of marine pollution through tasks, symposiums, and workshops targeting the community.

This project justifies the need to identify and define processes to improve the environmental quality of bays in the country, as outlined in the National Development Plan (2022-2027).