The Palm Islands have created an environment in which marine life can flourish, Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman of Nakheel, told Gulf News yesterday.

Bin Sulayem
Refuting all charges that construction activity on The Palm projects was severely impacting marine life and, in recent weeks, causing dead fish to wash up on neighbouring Sharjah's beaches, Bin Sulayem asserted that the project has had no negative impact on marine life.

"On the contrary the palm islands have created a beautiful and suitable environment for marine life and for fish," he said.

Bin Sulayem added that the islands have affected marine life in a positive way.

"We did a very comprehensive environmental study on the area before starting the Palm Islands projects," he said.

He said coral reefs will grow in the area because of the palms and they are friendly to the marine environment. They will also offer the needed environment for marine life to flourish, the executive chairman added.

He said all over the world people build artificial islands in the sea in order to protect marine life.

"It is not true that the fish died because of any construction work that happened in the Palm Islands," Bin Sulayem said.