Tempo.Co, Petir Garda B, Bogor – The head of the Center for Coastal and Marine Resources Studies at the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB), Professor Yonvitner, stated that material suction in shallow sea, especially sea sand, has the potential to increase water turbidity. Water that has been mixed with fine sediment usually will mix back with the water.

"If the extraction activities (of material) are near ecosystems, it could cause an increase in suspended solids," he told Tempo, Thursday, September 26, 2024.

The environmental risks discussed by Yonvitner are still related to the opening of the sea sand export tap. The professor at the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences at IPB assessed that trading sea sand from shallow sea would not be beneficial for Indonesia. Sand mining actually threatens ecosystems, as well as social and economic aspects.

According to Yonvitner, sand mining as well as sediments – as claimed by the government – has the potential to dredge up mud spread in deep waters. One of the impacts of dredging is changes in currents patterns, as well as water turbidity that disturbs fishing areas,

"The change in currents can also cause abrasion of the coast and sedimentation," he said.

The government recently reopened the sea sand export tap, which has been closed for the past two decades. Sea sand trade to foreign countries can be resumed through Government Regulation (PP) Number 26 of 2023 concerning the Management of Sedimentation Products in the Sea.

Revisions to two Minister of Trade Regulations (Permendag) in the export sector, namely Permendag Number 20 of 2024 and Permendag Number 21 of 2024, also facilitated the export of materials from within that saltwater. Currently, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is reviewing and selecting 66 companies that have applied for permits to export sea sand.

President Joko Widodo claimed that the export is only for sediment deposits, not for sea sand. The sediment is also planned to be dredged due to disturbing the navigation routes of ships.

According to Yonvitner, PP Number 26 of 2023 has not regulated improvements from an ecological function perspective. The trading mechanism and profit-sharing of sea sand have also not involved funding for the conservation needs of the target mining areas. He mentioned there have been no clear studies on the new revisions of the two Permendag.

"There is no study on the risks to ecosystems, habitats, and the environment," he said.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1922315/expert-warns-of-mud-risk-due-to-sea-sand-dredgin