Title: Conservation%20of%20Coral%20Reefs%20in%20Kuwait
1Conservation of Coral Reefs in Kuwait
By
Adel H. Alsaffar Mariculture and Fisheries
Department Kuwait Institute for Scientific
Research asaffar_at_mfd.kisr.edu.kw
Hani Al-Tamimi Living Resources
Department Environment Public Authority hani_abbas
_at_hotmail.com
- Arabian Gulf Marin Conservation Forum
- Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- 11-14 September 2006
2- Coral Reefs in Kuwait
- are found
- Associated with the Coral Islands (Kubbar, Qaro
and Um Al-Maradem) - As Patch and platform reefs
3Kubbar Island and surrounding Reef
4Terns breeding at Kubbar Island
5Qaro Island and surrounding Reef
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8Umm Al-Maradem Island and surrounding Reef
9Patch and Platform Reefs
10Coral Species
- A total of 35 coral species have been recorded in
Kuwait reefs. Of these, 29 species are hermatypic
(reef- building corals), and 6 species are
ahermatypic (non-reef building) corals.
11Fish Species Associated with Coral Reefs
- 124 fish species were recorded in the coral reef
communities, about 35 percent of the total number
of fish species (337 species) recorded in Kuwait.
12Conservation Themes
- Legislation Applicable to the Conservation of
Coral Reefs, -
- Research, Monitoring and Documentation,
- Education and Public awareness,
- Practical Conservation of Coral Reefs.
13 Legislations Applicable to the Conservation of
Coral reefs
- Law No. 21 of 1995 Law No. 16 of 1996 about
establishing the Environment Public Authority
(EPA) - With regard to Coral Islands and Coral Reefs
- Objectives
- To develop coral islands and exploit them as
natural reserves, recreational facilities and as
a fish resource. - To conserve the coral reefs around coral islands
and submerged reefs and declare them as protected
areas and to conserve fish breeding sites.
14 Legislations Applicable to the Conservation of
Coral reefs
- With regard to Coral Islands and Coral Reefs
(cont.) - Policies and Procedures
- Utilising available expertise in the regional and
international levels in selecting and management
of marine protected areas, - Providing trained personnel and management
facilities, - Applying the legislations concerning such
reserves and monitoring visitors conduct, - Promoting public awareness on the importance of
the marine reserves and ways of utilising them,
and establish economic, social and environmental
indicators to be used for determining the success
of the protection program.
15- Legislations Applicable to the Conservation of
Coral reefs
- Decision No. 210 / 2001, regarding the executive
law of the establishment of EPA, states in
article (81)that - It is prohibited to hunt, kill, catch, gather or
harm all marine and terrestrial wildlife species
or to temper with its young, eggs, nests or
refuges to the duration of two years starting at
the date of issuance.. - It is conclusively prohibited to pluck, remove
or harm corals or any other coral reef organisms.
16- Legislations Applicable to the Conservation of
Coral reefs
- EPA has two committees related to coral reefs
- The National Committee for Biodiversity
-
- Duties
- Study the Convention on Biodiversity and follow
up on execution of its obligations on the state, - Follow up with other related conventions,
-
- Indicate problems with biodiversity and suggest
solutions, - Provide strategic plans to conserve biodiversity
in the state.
17 Legislations Applicable to the Conservation of
Coral reefs
- The National Committee for Biodiversity
- Proposed a law for the establishment of protected
areas (land and marine) in 1997.
18 Legislations Applicable to the Conservation of
Coral reefs
In this law, all coral reef areas were
recommended to be protected
This law is still pending at the Department of
Legal Advice and Legislations at the Council of
Ministers.
19 Legislations Applicable to the Conservation of
Coral reefs
- The National committee for Trade in Endangered
Species. - Hundreds of corals species are listed in Appendix
II of the CITES Convention, which means that
international trade in these species is regulated
and monitored. - Decision No. 210/2001 regarding the executive law
of the establishment of EPA states in Article 85
that - It is prohibited to trade in endangered wild life
species or in their parts and products listed by
decision of EPA by agreement with concerned
parties, also those listed on CITES text and
other current international agreements.
Exception are permitted by concerned parties
pending the agreement of EPA for scientific,
therapeutic, zoo and exhibition purposes.
20 Legislations Applicable to the Conservation of
Coral reefs
- Resolution No. 93/2003 regarding the regulation
of sale and trade in endangered wildlife species - It is prohibited to exchange, sell or trade in
endangered wild life species or in their parts
and products, listed in the Appendices of the
above resolution (coral is listed in these
Appendices), in local markets or in private
farms, without obtaining required permits and
adhering to the conditions listed in the above
resolution.
21Gaps in legislation
- Legislations Applicable to the Conservation of
Coral reefs
- Weak enforcement of existing laws and violators
are not being punished, - Slow process of passing the legislation for the
establishment of protected areas, - Overlapping in responsibilities among different
authorities leads to ineffective enforcement of
the laws, - Lack of specialists in international
environmental law, - Weak cooperation among government and
non-government organizations in matters of coral
reef conservation, - Weak cooperation with regional organizations,
- Lack of guidelines for eco-tourism,
- Lack of knowledgeable enforcement officers and
transportation means
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23 Research, Monitoring and Management
- Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR).
- Comprehensive study in mid 1980s,
- Reports describing corals, coral fishes and
environment, as well as charting of major coral
reefs (5 volumes) - Proposed coral islands and reefs as protected
areas and provided management guidelines - Major study in 1995
- A report describing coral reef environment,
eco-experiments and coral spawning, - Book The Coral and Coral Reef Fishes of Kuwait
(160 pg). - PhD work at present by PhD candidate Mr. Shaker
Alhazeem. - PhD dissertations on the ecology of Kuwait coral
reefs (in preparation).
24- Research, Monitoring and Management
- Environment Public Authority (EPA)
- Funding of KISRs research and studies,
- Assessment of coral reefs after the Gulf Crisis
by IUCN, - Participated in regional work shops organized by
ROPME on the subject of coral reefs, - Cooperate with IUCN to build national capacity
for monitoring coral reefs, - Establishment of Internal project to monitor
coral reefs (coral reef team), - Cooperation with University of Miami,
- Cooperation with NCWCD (Saudi Arabia),
- Participated in Remote Sensing Training Workshops
- (RS Applications in Marine Areas) organized by
- Kuwait University,
- ROPME.
25- Research, Monitoring and Management
- Kuwait Environment Protection Society
(KEPS)(Kuwait Dive team) - Documentation of coral reef species through
photography and videography
26- Education and Public Awareness
- Coral Reefs Book
- Coral Reefs Poster
- Coral Reefs Booklet
27- Education and Public Awareness
- Photography exhibits and contests on the subject
of coral reef environment by - Kuwait Environment Protection Society (e.g.
competition of best photograph), - Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR)
(e.g. Open Day), - Environment Public Authority
- (e.g. International Day of Biodiversity).
28- Education and Public Awareness
- Articles in periodicals and local newspapers
- KEPS
- EPA
- KISR
- Science Club.
29 Practical Conservation of Coral Reefs
- Debris Removal Efforts
- Yearly cleaning campaigns are being conducted
jointly by (Participant, Financial and
Equipments) - Environmental Public Authority,
- Kuwait Environment Protection Society (Kuwait
Dive Team), - Kuwait Centre for Volunteer work,
- Kuwait Science club,
- Kuwait Municipality,
- Kuwait Oil Company,
- Coast Guard,
- Ministry of Communication,
- Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish
Resources, - Dive Clubs,
- Private Companies Specialised in Environmental
Issues, - British Petroleum company,
- Students from governmental and private schools,
- And many other governmental and non governmental
agencies.
30The debris could consist of
- Practical Conservation of Coral Reefs
- Steel bars
- Anchors
- Drink Cans
- Batteries
- Cables
- Toys
- Glass bottles
- Etc
- (Total weight about 120 tons)
31- Practical Conservation of Coral Reefs
- Drifting fishing nets Removal of 17 fishing
nets with a total weight of 14 tons By efforts of
the Kuwait Dive Team.
32 Dismantling and removing old jetties at coral
islands
- Practical Conservation of Coral Reefs
33- Practical Conservation of Coral Reefs
- Kuwait municipality had put rubbish containers on
the coral island and removes rubbish
periodically.
34- Practical Conservation of Coral Reefs
- Artificial Reefs Jaber Al-Kuwait Reefs
- As part of the efforts of the Kuwait Dive Team
to compensate destruction in natural coral reefs,
Jaber Al-Kuwait Reefs is a continuous project
since 1995 to establish
- artificial reefs by deployment of concrete blocks
of different shapes and sizes, mainly in areas
adjacent to coral reefs (Total weight 950 tons,
in 20 areas).
35- Practical Conservation of Coral Reefs
- The establishment of artificial reefs also aims
to - Enable settlement of coral species and create new
coral reefs that would compensate destroyed
natural coral reefs, - Increases the habitats for certain coral reef
associated species (fish, sea urchins, algae
.etc, - Stop drifting fishing nets from covering natural
reefs, - Help in reducing erosion of coral cays,
- Provide additional diving sites (relieves the
pressure on natural reefs).
36- Practical Conservation of Coral Reefs
GAPS
- We need to determine the practicality of
artificial reefs, and how do they effect and
interact with Kuwaits natural reefs by long term
studies.
37- Practical Conservation of Coral Reefs
- Establishment and maintenance of anchor Buoys
- They have been deployed by Kuwait Dive Team since
1995, mostly funded by EPA, around coral islands
and patch reefs reaching 88 in numbers, - They minimize anchor damage to coral reefs,
- Stop drifting fishing nets from reaching the
reef.
38- Practical Conservation of Coral Reefs
- Anchor Buoys
- Drawbacks
- Some are lost due to lack of maintenance,
- Funding for instillation and maintenance has to
be budgeted annually and it is not certain, - Deployment and maintenance is only carried out by
unpaid volunteers. However, this activity should
be the responsibility of a government agency.
39- Practical Conservation of Coral Reefs
- Diving institutes / Societies
- Encourage voluntary work,
- Establish national cadres (staff) specialised in
different fields of coral reefs, - Organize the public effort for a more effective
field conservation work.
40National Needs to Improve Coral Reef Conservation
- It is important to enforce bylaws concerning the
establishment of EPA, - Strengthen legislation for coral reef
conservation and for protected areas, - Better enforcement of existing legislation,
- Speed up the process of marine protected area
declaration, - Oil companies and other agencies should adopt
regulations that minimize their adverse effects
on the environment,
41National Needs to Improve Coral Reef
Conservation(contd.)
- Develop capacity for coral reef monitoring by
training for coral reef monitoring methods. (e.g.
Reef Check, Remote Sensing, etc..), -
- Identify and implement methods of coral reef
conservation and management, - Build capacity for research and study of coral
reefs, - Include coral reef value and the benefit of its
conservation in public awareness and educational
programs, - Integrate the conservation efforts of government
and non-government organizations, - Building capacity for a national coral reef
database.
42Thank you