.jpg)
Ang Qing says "the four-week public feedback window on the study that ends on July 28 will be a major test of process. Time will tell how much of a difference community feedback can actually make when a mega-project’s timeline appears to be set in stone."
Share your feedback here https://form.gov.sg/675fc8ff28a3ca9ebd83c21b
Media articles and press releases on the Preparatory works for Long Island including EIA
Other responses include:
Lester Tan, chair of the Nature Society Singapore’s Marine Conservation Group, pointed out the absence of specific assessments for vulnerable coastal horseshoe crabs that nest along East Coast Park.
“Early involvement of nature groups in scoping the study and developing mitigation measures would have been highly beneficial in surfacing blind spots before a timeline for the works was set,” he said.
Echoing this, Muhammad Nasry Abdul Nasir, executive director of Singapore Youth Voices for Biodiversity, questioned what he felt was the rushed nature of the engagement for the works, given the many unanswered questions from the community.
Why conservationists are concerned about Singapore’s Long Island mega climate project
Qing Ang Straits Times Green Pulse 7 Jul 2026
As sea levels rise, how does a land-scarce island nation protect its shores without compromising nature?
Singapore announced on June 30 that it will begin work on another massive engineering project at the end of 2026 that is designed to help the Republic weather climate change. Tentatively dubbed Long Island, the reclamation will create roughly 800ha of land off East Coast Park to shield the low-lying nation from rising sea levels while creating space for development.
The works will take place in two phases so part of the waters can still be used for recreation.
An environmental study commissioned by the Government deemed that the overall impact of the project would be minor. However, scientists, nature groups and anglers have raised concerns about potential blind spots.
Some stakeholders I spoke with after the two-phase works were revealed shared concerns about the speed of the planning process. They were surprised by the announcement, as authorities had previously stated that technical studies for the multi-decade project would only conclude around 2029.
While the East Coast sits on land reclaimed up until the 1980s, corals, seagrass and mangroves have naturally returned to its shores over the decades. This organic recovery has sparked calls from naturalists to ensure that marine life can continue to thrive alongside the Long Island development.
Today, this stretch has even become a nesting ground for globally critically endangered hawksbill turtles, which are being studied by researchers from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
Given the small population of Singapore’s hawksbills, NTU research fellow Lyndsey Tanabe called for the study to assess the shallow coastal waters where female turtles rest, the exact areas where works are expected to begin.
During my visit to fishing hotspot Bedok Jetty on June 30, anglers shared their concerns about a rich diversity of local fish that the current environmental report does not appear to fully consider. While anglers will still be allowed to use nearshore fishing areas and Bedok Jetty, the report anticipated that works could impact fish and reduce catch rates.
Lin Jiayuan is a student who has fished at Bedok Jetty since 2007. He noted that the report omitted key sightings at the jetty, including a globally critically endangered shovelnose ray caught in 2022.
Lin has authored more than 25 biodiversity records published by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum. He and his friends showed me 40 different species of fish they had caught in just four hours at Bedok Jetty.
“It’s a shame to let this iconic landmark of marine biodiversity go without documenting whatever it has,” shared fellow fishing hobbyist Tan Yen Yi, 32, a bird scientist at the museum.
With more coastal projects in the pipeline to protect Singapore’s shores from rising sea levels, how the Republic navigates these environmental trade-offs will set an important precedent.
The four-week public feedback window on the study that ends on July 28 will be a major test of process. Time will tell how much of a difference community feedback can actually make when a mega-project’s timeline appears to be set in stone.
Anglers, researchers race to document East Coast fish species ahead of Long Island works
As preparatory works for Singapore's Long Island coastal protection project draw closer, fishing enthusiasts are working to record species that may one day become harder to find.
Natalie Ong and Marcel Pereira Channel NewsAsia 06 Jul 2026 11:24AM
SINGAPORE: Stretching far into the waters off Singapore's East Coast, Bedok Jetty has long been a popular spot for anglers.
For some fishing enthusiasts, each visit is also an opportunity to document the country's marine biodiversity.
With preparatory works for the Long Island project set to begin in waters west of the jetty by the end of 2026, some are racing to record the fish species found there before the coastline changes.
The upcoming works are the first step in Singapore's long-term coastal protection plans against rising sea levels and will be carried out in phases. A second phase is planned for waters east of the jetty after the 2029 SEA Games, which will be held in Singapore.
A RACE AGAINST TIME
Nanyang Technological University Bioengineering undergraduate Lin Jiayuan is among a small group of anglers helping to document fish species.
He visits the jetty at least twice a month, and rather than targeting large food fish, he searches for those that are rarely recorded in Singapore's waters.
When he catches something significant, the 24-year-old shares it with researchers at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) for identification and preservation.
Over the years, Mr Lin has helped document at least 15 fish species new to Singapore's waters, of which seven were recorded at Bedok Jetty, adding to the country's biodiversity records.
With months to go before preparatory works begin, he said there is "definitely a sense of urgency" because many of the species found there inhabit murkier waters, making them difficult for divers and people exploring intertidal areas to spot.
One species Mr Lin hopes to document is the demon stinger, a rare relative of the stonefish that uses its free pectoral fin rays to "walk" along the seabed.
“This is probably the easiest place you can catch them in Singapore. Not saying they are common – they are very rare,” he added.
Even after works begin, Mr Lin intends to continue visiting the area.
"Personally, I will still fish here. I will observe what the changes are," he said.
ADDING TO SINGAPORE'S BIODIVERSITY RECORDS
Singapore has recorded about 700 to 800 fish species across its marine and freshwater habitats, according to Dr Tan Heok Hui, LKCNHM's senior collection manager of fishes.
Dr Tan described documenting Singapore's biodiversity as "a continual process".
"With proper documentation, you only realise what you've lost or what you may lose," he said.
The museum also receives records from anglers such as Mr Lin and other members of the public, which are verified by experts before being added to Singapore's biodiversity records.
Such specimens become part of the museum's collections.
NEW STUDY COULD TRACK CHANGES TO FISH COMMUNITIES
Separately, the National Parks Board (NParks) is discussing a potential study with marine fish researchers from local institutes of higher learning to better understand fish communities along reclaimed shorelines, such as along the East Coast.
Sources say the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and NUS are involved.
Replying to CNA’s queries, NParks said the study was first conceptualised in 2025 to understand how these environments change over time.
It will also help inform the design and management of future nearshore fish habitats that support both biodiversity and community use.
NParks' group director of the National Biodiversity Centre, Dr Karenne Tun, said the findings are expected to further inform the Long Island project and deepen understanding of fish communities along East Coast Park.
Associate Professor Jeffrey Kwik, a fish biologist at SIT, said no comprehensive survey has covered the entire East Coast shoreline in recent years.
"While there have been historically a lot of studies, you know, here and there, a full study of the entire stretch (along East Coast) has actually not been done enough, and definitely not in this current time, more recent times along the whole stretch."
"There'll be a lot of surveys, and these surveys will be done … over time, so that we understand any seasonal patterns in the size of the fishes, the species of fishes, and along the entire shoreline, adjacent to Bedok Jetty," he added.
He said such research would improve understanding of how fish use different coastal habitats and could contribute to environmental management and monitoring plans in the area.
The study is expected to start just before the preparatory works begin.
Govt study says Long Island works will have minor impact on environment
Ang Qing Straits Times Jun 30, 2026, 10:00 PM
SINGAPORE - Preparatory works for the reclamation of Long Island off East Coast Park are predicted to have an overall minor impact on the surrounding environment, though some nature groups and scientists worry about possible “blind spots”.
Released on June 30, the 557-page environmental impact assessment (EIA) was commissioned by the National Parks Board (NParks) on behalf of the Housing Board.
It assesses the impact of the two-phase works to prepare for the reclamation of about 800ha of land – roughly twice the size of Marina Bay – from Tanah Merah to Marina East, centring around the popular Bedok Jetty.
The works that involve removing seabed obstruction and sand infilling are slated to begin from end-2026.
The report, prepared by consultancy DHI Water and Environment based on surveys conducted between June 2025 and February 2026, found works would yield minor negative impacts on the environment.
The majority of coral and seagrass areas outside the project’s footprint, as well as mangroves, intertidal fauna and most marine fauna, are expected to remain largely unaffected, HDB and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said in a statement.
However, the works could impede globally critically endangered hawksbill turtles from reaching nesting sites along East Coast Park, as well as disorient hatchlings, according to the report.
The report deemed this impact minor, noting that sections of the shoreline will remain available for nesting alongside ongoing egg relocation efforts by NParks.
Nanyang Technological University sea turtle biologist Lyndsey Tanabe acknowledged the need for coastal protection, but stressed that Singapore’s hawksbill turtle population is small, making every individual critical to the species’ survival.
“While the environmental study identifies disturbance to nesting beaches as a concern, it is equally important to assess impacts to inter-nesting habitat in the shallow coastal waters where female turtles rest between clutches (of eggs),” she pointed out.
The research fellow welcomed clarifications on additional protective measures, and said she looks forward to working constructively with the project team.
Angler Lin Jiayuan, a 24-year-old student who has fished at Bedok Jetty since 2007, noted the report omitted key records at the jetty, such as a 2022 sighting of the globally critically endangered shovelnose ray.
He has observed more than 150 fish species in the sediment-laden waters of the site over the past eight years.
“It’s a shame to let this iconic landmark of marine biodiversity go without documenting whatever it has,” added fellow fishing hobbyist Tan Yen Yi, 32, who is a bird scientist by training.
The pair and their friends caught 40 species within four hours on June 30. These included the imposter trevally, a species newly recorded in Singapore at Bedok Jetty in 2022.
Lester Tan, chair of the Nature Society Singapore’s Marine Conservation Group, pointed out the absence of specific assessments for vulnerable coastal horseshoe crabs that nest along East Coast Park.
Tan, who also sits on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Horseshoe Crab Species Specialist Group, said he was surprised by the scale of the preparatory works.
“Early involvement of nature groups in scoping the study and developing mitigation measures would have been highly beneficial in surfacing blind spots before a timeline for the works was set,” he said.
Echoing this, Muhammad Nasry Abdul Nasir, executive director of Singapore Youth Voices for Biodiversity, questioned what he felt was the rushed nature of the engagement for the works, given the many unanswered questions from the community.
The environmental study report is open for public feedback at this website for four weeks from June 30.
HDB said mitigation measures will be implemented to minimise indirect impacts to surrounding habitats. These include deploying temporary containment bunds and silt screens to control sediment plumes.
A dedicated Environmental Monitoring and Management Plan will also be put in place to track conditions and manage potential effects on the surrounding marine environment, including seagrass beds.
Associate professor Peter Todd from the National University of Singapore’s Department of Biological Sciences lauded the monitoring efforts for spanning the duration of the preparatory works and beyond.
“Given the scale of the project, some impacts are inevitable, but it seems that substantial efforts are being made to mitigate these,” he said.
Todd, who studies the use of artificial structures to bring back marine life, added that Long Island presents opportunities to create new marine habitats for corals and mangroves.
However, he noted that combining natural elements into hard-engineered structures, also known as “hybrid shorelines”, remains a new and challenging field.
HDB and URA said they will thoroughly evaluate the feedback and incorporate suitable suggestions before finalising mitigation measures.
