The polluted Kingston Harbour has appeared much clearer in recent weeks, with some marine scientists suggesting that the economic malaise brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic is possibly a contributing factor.
The environmental anomaly garnered varying theories when the Jamaica Observer visited Greenwich Farm and Rae Town fishing beaches last week where fisherfolk attributed the visible changes in the water quality to heavy winds.
Camilo Trench, chief science officer at The University of the West Indies' Centre of Marine Sciences, said it was not unusual for the harbour to be less polluted during times of drought, but argued that the pandemic could also be a factor in the scenic change on Kingston's shoreline.
“One thing we have noticed with our wildlife is that for small animals, like our small fishes which are usually very shy, we are seeing them a lot more coming from the reef and it could be because there is not as much noise coming from the boats and persons on the beaches,” Christopher May, a science officer at Montego Bay Marine Park, told the Sunday Observer last week.
The marine scientist also said that while it is possible that less activity in the harbour has resulted in less pollution, it is too early to gauge the impact of the pandemic on the environment.
