Budget 2025: $5billion more for reclamation and coastal protection

Another $5 billion will be injected into the Coastal and Flood Protection Fund. For solutions including sea walls, tidal gates and reclamation. For example, Long Island, three tracts of land – collectively about twice the size of Marina Bay – could be reclaimed off East Coast Park in the coming decades, creating about 800ha of land for new homes and other amenities, as well as a new reservoir.

PUB’s coastal protection department director Hazel Khoo said the use of the fund is expected to ramp up towards the end of the decade.

Share your views: Join public engagements on Long Island here https://form.gov.sg/675fc8ff28a3ca9ebd83c21b

Share your sightings of dolphins, dugongs and more!

Your sightings needed to understand and protect our large marine animals. Share them on MegMaLS (Mega Marine Life in Singapore).

Please share live sighting, stranding, or carcass observations of any large marine animals. Includes dolphins, dugongs, large fishes, rays, sharks, turtles, whales, and wedgefishes. It takes less than 10 minutes to complete the report. Your valuable observation will help scientists learn more about these animals and identify ways to protect them.

FREE Museum programme on Singapore's marine life

 Discover Singapore's marine biodiversity and the science behind conserving them!

More details from the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum facebook page.

Repeated oil spills compromise marine life

Straits Times article reviewing the impact of repeated oil spills since the 400tonne Pasir Panjang oil spill in Jun 2024.

Oil from Jun 2024 Pasir Panjang spill
washed up on seagrass meadows at East Coast Park.

"The marine environment might recover after each oil spill incident, but too many of such events would compromise its ability to do so, said marine scientists. In response to ST’s queries, the National Parks Board (NParks) said it is aware of the negative impact spills can have on biodiversity and is closely monitoring the current situation. ST has contacted the police and Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore for more information."

Full article below the fold

EIA Mandai Mangrove and Mudflat available for public feedback

The EIA report on proposed Mandai Mangrove and Mudflat Nature Park is available for public feedback from 7 February 2025 to 6 March 2025.

Also note that that are plans to reclaim about 44ha nearby to expand the Woodlands Checkpoint. Reclamation is tentatively scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2024 and slated to be completed by 2029. JTC and ICA said they will review feedback received from the public before finalising the report and starting reclamation works.

23 tonne diesel leak opposite Sentosa Serapong (5 Feb 2025)

On 5 Feb, 23 tonnes of oil had leaked from a damaged shore fuel hose used to refuel patrol craft at the PCG Base on Pulau Brani. While authorities said “there were no oil slicks observed”, but an oily sheen could be seen in some areas. One outrigger paddler said he saw patches of oil off the entire south-western coast of Sentosa, from Tanjong Rimau to Tanjong Beach, on Feb 6 morning. 

From our survey in Jul 2022.

One of the best reefs nearer the mainland is found on the undisturbed shore off Serapong Golf Course at Sentosa - which is directly opposite and about 200m from the PCG Base at Pulau Brani.

Update: All fuel pipes at Brani Regional Base were inspected on Feb 6. Fuel pipes at the other three bases – at Loyang, Lim Chu Kang and Gul – are also being checked, with inspections expected to be completed on Feb 10.