Environmental Impact Assessment: for the Proposed shore protection, shoreline restoration, channel dredging and development of floating pontoon platform cages in the lagoon at N Karinmaa Vattaru, Maldives. Proponent Blackgold Investments Pvt Limited. Consultant Environmental Impact Assessment: for the Proposed shore protection, shoreline restoration, channel dredging and development of floating pontoon platform cages in the lagoon at N Karinmaa Vattaru, Maldives. I. Contents I. Contents ............................................................................................................................................................... I II. Figures ............................................................................................................................................................. V III. Tables ........................................................................................................................................................... VII IV. Declaration of the consultants ............................................................................................................................... i V. Declaration of the proponent ................................................................................................................................ ii VI. ާސާ ލާ ޙު ދާ ސާ .................................................................................................................................................... iii VII. Non-technical Summary ...................................................................................................................................... v 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 6 1.1 Background and context .............................................................................................................. 6 1.2 Purpose of the EIA ...................................................................................................................... 6 1.3 Project proposal ........................................................................................................................... 6 1.4 Project Setting ............................................................................................................................. 8 1.5 Scope of the EIA ......................................................................................................................... 8 1.6 Pattern of the EIA ........................................................................................................................ 9 1.7 Justification ............................................................................................................................... 10 1.7.1 Project Justification ............................................................................................................. 10 1.8 Project boundary ........................................................................................................................ 10 1.9 Study Methodology ................................................................................................................... 10 1.10 Existing conditions ............................................................................................................... 10 1.11 Methodology used in description of the environment ........................................................... 11 1.1.1 Ecology ............................................................................................................................... 11 1.1.2 Stakeholder’s consultation ................................................................................................... 12 1.1.3 Impact prediction ................................................................................................................. 12 2 Stakeholder’s consultation ................................................................................................................................. 13 2.1 Scoping meeting ........................................................................................................................ 13 2.2 Meeting with the Noonu Atoll council ...................................................................................... 14 2.3 Meeting with the N Velidhoo council ........................................................................................ 14 2.4 Meeting with the Ministry of Environment (MEE). .................................................................. 15 2.5 Meeting request with Fisheries Marine Resources and Agriculture........................................... 16 2.6 Meeting request with MMRI ..................................................................................................... 17 3 Policy and legal framework ............................................................................................................................... 18 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 18 3.2 Relevant Environment Legislation ............................................................................................ 18 3.2.1 Decentralization Act ............................................................................................................ 18 3.2.2 Environment Protection and Preservation Act (Act no. 4/93) ............................................. 19 3.3 Relevant Regulations and Guidelines ........................................................................................ 20 3.3.1 Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 2012 ......................................................... 20 I Environmental Impact Assessment: for the Proposed shore protection, shoreline restoration, channel dredging and development of floating pontoon platform cages in the lagoon at N Karinmaa Vattaru, Maldives. 3.3.2 Regulation on Sand and Coral Mining ................................................................................ 21 3.3.3 Regulation of Dredging and Land Reclamation (2013/R-15),(2014/R-13)........................ 21 3.3.4 Law on uninhibited islands (20/98) ..................................................................................... 23 3.3.5 Fisheries law (14/2019) ...................................................................................................... 23 3.3.6 Regulation on cutting down trees ........................................................................................ 23 3.3.7 The Environmental Liability regulation (Regulation 2011/R‐9) .......................................... 25 3.4 Relevant Environmental permits required for the project .......................................................... 25 3.4.1 Environmental impact Assessment ( EIA ) Decision Note .................................................. 25 1.1.1 Dredging and Reclamation Permit ....................................................................................... 26 1.2 Responsible Government Institutions ........................................................................................ 26 3.4.2 Ministry of environment and energy ................................................................................... 26 3.4.3 Noonu Atoll council and island councils .............................................................................. 26 3.5 Guiding Policies and Documents ............................................................................................... 26 3.5.1 Policy of waste management ............................................................................................... 26 3.6 International Conventions .......................................................................................................... 26 3.6.1 United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity(CBD) ................................................ 26 3.6.2 International Plant protection convention (IPPC) ................................................................ 27 3.7 Construction Site Health and Safety Regulation ( 2019/R-156) ................................................ 27 3.8 National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan ........................................................................ 28 4 Description of the proposed project ................................................................................................................... 30 4.1 Introduction to the project ......................................................................................................... 30 4.2 The proponent ............................................................................................................................ 30 4.3 Project location and boundary ................................................................................................... 30 4.4 Project outline and objective. .................................................................................................... 30 4.5 The main developments of the project ....................................................................................... 31 4.5.1 Channel Dredging ................................................................................................................ 31 4.5.2 Shoreline restoration ............................................................................................................ 31 4.5.3 Shore protection .................................................................................................................