Environmental Impacts of Shipping to and from Citronen Fjord:A Preliminary Assessment

• Main Author: Boertmann, D.
• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Published: National Environmental Research Institute 1996
• Subjects: North Greenland; Citronen Fjord; zinc mining; icebreaking; environmental impacts; birds; marine mammals; Frederick E. Hyde Fjord; Greenland; Henrik Krøyer Holme; Holme; Hovgaard; Hovgaard Ø; Nordostrundingen; Peary; Peary Land; Wandel; Frederick E. Hyde fjord; Greenland Sea; Wandel Sea; walrus*
• Online Access: https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/environmental-impacts-of-shipping-to-and-from-citronen-fjord(544e52c0-7e9c-11dd-a5a8-000ea68e967b).html

A large zinc mineralisation has been discovered in the Citronen Fjord area of Peary Land, North Greenland (Fig. 1), and exploration is presently being undertaken. If it is decided that the ore will be exploited, there is only one way of transporting the zinc concentrate from the area: by ship. The waters off Citronen Fjord are covered by ice throughout the year. Fast ice covers Frederick E. Hyde Fjord and the coastal waters off the outer coast, and pack ice covers the Wandel Sea and the majority of the Greenland Sea. Sailing in these waters will require powerful icebreaking capabilities, and icebreaking impacts the environment in different ways. In general, it seems that noise from shipping sometimes causes short-term behavioural response and temporarily displacement of various marine mammals. Marine mammals in icecovered waters may be particularly sensitive to noise. However, the effects are usually of short duration, and there are no conclusive studies on the long-term effects and effects on population scale available. This report identifies vulnerable bird and marine mammal populations, and as well as the habitats of these organisms. The wildlife in the Wandel Sea and in the pack ice of the Greenland Sea is generally scarce. Furthermore, the pack ice habitat is very dynamic, and it is therefore concluded that icebreaking in these waters is likely to have only limited environmental impacts. Open water is present along the coasts between Nordostrundingen and Hovgaard Ø June-September. This is the Northeast Water, a recurrent polynya. The Northeast Water supports large amounts of seabirds during the open water period. The largest stock of walrus in Northeast Greenland is found here and narhvals are rather common. The coasts and the ice edge zones of the Northeast Water and the shallow waters around Henrik Krøyer Holme are the most sensitive to sailing and icebreaking. Sailing and icebreaking in these areas should be avoided. The movement of icebreakers through the fast ice of Frederick E. Hyde Fjord may alter the habitat of a population of ringed seals that inhabit the fiord. Incidental oil spills from the ships sailing to and from Citronen Fjord poses the most serious threats to the wildlife in the area covered by this report.