Dubai: Marine life in the UAE is facing man-made and natural stresses, but is recovering if not thriving.
The country’s marine life is found in two completely different bodies of water — to the north in the Arabian Gulf and to the east in the Gulf of Oman, connected to the Indian Ocean.
More than 500 different species of fish inhabit the Gulf waters, with many more living in the Indian Ocean to the east of the UAE.
Sultan Alwan, Assistant Undersecretary for Water Resources and Nature Conservation at the Ministry of Environment and Water, said the naturally harsh conditions in the Gulf waters make marine life in it one of a kind because they are pushed to the limits of what they can cope with.
“The Arabian Gulf is influenced by extreme temperature and high levels of salinity, which make the existing marine life very unique,” Alwan told Gulf News.
Water temperature could reach a maximum of 35 degrees Celsius during summer — the highest known temperature for reefs worldwide — and drop to 15C during winter. Salinity or salt levels in the water could reach up to 70 parts per million (ppm) in shallower areas, twice the average seawater rate.
“Despite the harsh environment of the Gulf, natural coral reefs and seagrass beds are resilient and play a vital role as habitats for thousands of species, which include globally endangered ones. Mangrove swamps exist along most of the country’s coastline and protect the shoreline from erosion and provide nursery grounds for most of the commercial fishes,” Alwan said.
Because Gulf waters have one of the highest temperatures for water bodies in summer, according to recent studies, researchers believe it is the best laboratory to study climate change effects on marine life.
“Scientists are suggesting that the Gulf can be used to stage simulation experiments of different scenarios in which marine organisms are affected by climate change,” Alwan said.
But it is not immune to climate change’s negative effects.
“Problems arising from climate change are challenging the long-term sustainability of flora and fauna communities in the Gulf. Many studies showed that the increase in temperature caused bleaching of coral reefs at some sites. Also, the sea level rise due to climate change can greatly affect the intertidal ecosystems,” Alwan said.
Ebrahim Al Zu’bi, Executive Director of non-profit group Emirates Diving Association (EDA), has witnessed these changes through the years. He has been diving and studying the UAE’s flora and fauna for more than a decade.
He said besides the natural stresses in the Gulf, man-made strains are also affecting marine life.
“The Arabian Gulf is relatively shallow. It is a very unique ecosystem which is shared by too many countries and (also), is a bit closed,” Al Zu’bi told Gulf News.
Rapid urbanisation, oil production, desalination, anchor damage, and sedimentation have also added to the strain on the area. But sea animals strive to survive thanks to their natural ability and help from man.
UAE’s measures to protect marine life
Alwan said the UAE has introduced several programmes to protect marine life, including different rehabilitation programmes such as mangroves and coral reef planting, and expanding the reach of marine-protected areas with important biological biodiversity and critical habitats.
Currently, the UAE has established 60 protected areas: 38 terrestrial, 21 marine, and one coastal, according to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Of these, 20 are publicly declared and nine are marine-protected areas spread across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Fujairah.
Dugongs or sea cows, for example, thrive in marine-protected areas in the Gulf, mainly on the Abu Dhabi coast with some 7,000 of them. It is the world’s second largest population of dugongs next to Australia.
Juvenile whale sharks have also been spotted on the Abu Dhabi coast and the Arabian Gulf. The area is believed to be the nursing ground for this gentle giant during summer months as they feed on phytoplankton and prefer warmer water.
Off to the east coast, towards the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman, is a completely different story, Al Zu’bi said.
“It’s part of the Indian Ocean, so it’s deep, with relatively lower temperature. It has coral reefs, it’s open. Sometimes it’s as good as Maldives — visibility is good, we can see whale sharks but it’s seasonal.”
Black tip reef shark, the Gulf parrotfish, and epaulet grouper are among those commonly found in this area, based on EDA’s Reef Checks in Fujairah. Reef Check is a scientific monitoring of sea creatures. It’s putting the hobby of diving to good use.
Al Zu’bi said Reef Check through the years has increased awareness in marine conservation which encouraged governments to issue laws to protect marine life and limit fishing in some areas.
“We noticed that it’s [the sea] recovering from different natural and man-made disasters. We had [cyclone] Gonu on the east coast, we had land reclamation here. We noticed that the sea is recovering, which is an amazing blessing from God. Nature recovers if we give it a chance.”
