Dubai: Clean-up operations at Jebel Ali Marine Sanctuary led to the collection of more than 850kg of garbage from the shore and 370kg of trash from the water.
“At least 70 per cent of the 850kg collected was plastic bottles while the rest was a mixture of foam and grocery items. The underwater clean-up found that 50 per cent of the trash was glass bottles and aluminium cans,” said Aisha Al Murr Al Muhairi, section head of the Natural Resources Conservation Section at Dubai Municipality.
The rest of the waste found underwater was picnic and grocery-related trash.
Both the underwater and shore clean-up operations were held on October 1-2 with more than 250 participants.
“We had approximately 120 students, almost half the number of participants, and the rest were either municipality employees or volunteers,” Aisha said.
Aisha explained that such initiatives help the youth learn about the consequences of irresponsible behaviour, such as littering, on the environment.
“For the underwater clean-up, we had professional divers from the Filipino Scuba Divers Club,” Aisha said.
The Jebel Ali Marine Sanctuary has a conservation area of 2,185 hectares of shallow subtidal seabed.
The sanctuary is home to at least 291 species of flora and fauna. It is also the only remaining nesting site for the critically endangered Hawksbill Sea Turtle in Dubai.
The Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin and the Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin are frequent visitors to the Jebel Ali Reef.
“Such activities highlight the importance of our protected areas. It is not only the government’s responsibility to manage and conserve our natural resources,” Aisha said.
In the past, the municipality was responsible for clean-ups every month, but this time residents were given the opportunity to participate.
“We need more of these collaborations with residents. Collaborations indicate unity and strength and are essential if we want to have a clean and healthy environment for the next generation,” Eng Alya Al Harmoudi, director of the Environment Department, said.
The clean-up will become an annual event to encourage more individuals and groups to take part in sustaining the country’s coast and marine life.
