Falilu Olaiwola Adekunbi^1*, Isa Olalekan Elegbede², Dorathy Iniobong Akhiromen¹, Theresa Osamudiame Oluwagunke¹, Opeyemi Otolorin Oyatola¹

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¹ Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
² Environmental Resource Management, Brandenburg University of Technology, Cottbus-Senftenberg, Germany.
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Abstract: This study investigates the impact of sand dredging activities on coastal ecosystem and community survival around Ibeshe area of the Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria. Surface water and bottom sediment samples were collected from locations partitioned into Dredged Area (DA) and Undredged Area (UA) in the lagoon for laboratory analyses. Questionnaires were administered to community dwellers and sand miners to further analyze perception of locals. Significant differences in water quality parameters and sediments properties from Dredged and Undredged areas, and highly significant relationship between sand dredging and unsustainable ecological practices in Ibeshe were observed. One way ANOVA test indicates that all water quality parameters measured with exception of turbidity and nitrate concentration were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between Dredged and Undredged area. With exception of moisture content other sediment parameters measured were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between Dredged and Undredged areas. The project also determined the impact of dredging activities on the fisheries and fishing business in the environment. Turbidity values revealed that fishes will be negatively affected due to dredging activities; moreover dwellers pay little or no attention to conservation of the area due to unawareness. Sand dredging operations negatively influence ecological resources and water composition of the area. This project is designed to randomly sample the opinion of sand mining operators and residents; and questionnaires were administered to obtain data. Strict regulation and enforcement will assist to control ecological destruction and solve problems facing the lagoon environment.

Keywords: Physico-Chemical Parameters, Lagoon, Anthropogenic Activities, Sand Mining

Cite this paper: Adekunbi, F. , Elegbede, I. , Akhiromen, D. , Oluwagunke, T. and Oyatola, O. (2018) Impact of Sand Dredging Activities on Ecosystem and Community Survival in Ibeshe Area of Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 6, 112-125. doi: 10.4236/gep.2018.62008.

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