DOHA: Minister of Environment and Climate Change HE Dr Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie has said the great efforts made by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change during the past years have contributed to the richness of biodiversity in the Qatari territorial waters, making them a destination for the rarest marine animals in the world such as dugongs and whale sharks, which witness their largest concentration in the Al Shaheen Field area.
During his speech on Sunday, at the Marine Wildlife Forum, the minister indicated that the ministry is working within a vision and strategy that relies on several axes to ensure the preservation and protection of the marine environment and work towards its sustainability, reviewing the measures and efforts taken by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change to protect the marine environment during the past period.
He added that the measures taken by the ministry included issuing legislation and laws that set strict controls for overfishing operations, as well as campaigns carried out by the ministry to monitor the country’s territorial waters, to prevent overfishing during fish breeding seasons, in addition to inspecting equipment and tools of seafarers and fishermen that do not conform to specifications. This is done in cooperation with the relevant state agencies.
He explained that the marine environment is considered an integral part of the conscience of the Qatari people, which made Qatar one of the first countries to issue regulations and laws that protect its marine environment, through the establishment of the Supreme Council for the Environment and Natural Reserves in the mid-seventies of the last century.
Hepointed to the ministry’s efforts to enrich and develop the marine environment, noting that Qatar has allocated 2.5 percentof its total area to marine reserves, in addition to completing the national action plan to preserve marine resources and preparing maps of coastal areas and benthic habitats, as these efforts come as a practical application of Qatar’s National Vision 2030, and the Third National Development Strategy 2024-2030.
The Marine Wildlife Forum, which was held on Sunday, under the slogan 'The Impact of Fishing Methods on Marine Habitats and their Sustainability', discussed the efforts of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change to preserve and protect the marine environment and prevent overfishing operations in Qatari territorial waters, through conducting patrols and monitoring operations, in addition to reviewing national decisions and legislation to protect fish wealth in Qatari waters.
The participants in the forum also reviewed the negative effects of overfishing operations, including the depletion of fish wealth, the loss of biodiversity, as well as the damage to marine habitats and coral reefs, resulting from the use of environmentally unfriendly fishing tools.
For his part, Dr Mohammed Saif Al-Kuwari, Chairman of the Forum, stressed the importance of continuing to protect the marine environment in Qatar, which is witnessing a distinct richness as a result of the efforts of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, represented by the implementation of many environmental programmes and initiatives, which contributed to the sustainability of the marine environment and increasing its biodiversity.
He pointed out that the seas and oceans are exposed to the danger of overfishing, which the United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have warned about, which explained that these activities are responsible for the loss of 11-26 million tonnes of fish annually.
Al Kuwari stressed the importance of increasing awareness and education within the local community, to introduce the negative effects of overfishing activities on marine wildlife, with the aim of preserving and sustaining fish resources.
He noted the danger of using traditional fishing tools, which cause negative effects on marine wildlife, such as destroying the seabed, depleting fish stocks, and causing long-term damage to marine habitats. He pointed out that many countries, including Qatar, have banned the use of these nets, which include the following types: three-ply gill spinning, made of nylon, bottom trawl for fishing, and sila.
Al Kuwari stated that the forum aims to enhance marine life in Qatar, and also provides sustainable solutions and practical recommendations to contribute to protecting wildlife in Qatar, pointing out the importance of increasing awareness among the fishermen sector, with the need to avoid practising any negative activities or actions that would harm life. Marine, and prohibiting the practice of overfishing and other wrong practices that harm the marine environment in the country.
The forum witnessed a panel discussion, moderated by Dr Mohammed bin Saif Al Kuwari, environmental expert and engineering consultant in the office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, with the participation of Mohammed Mahmoud Al Abdullah, head of the fish farming department at the Ministry of Municipality, Yousef Al Hamar, environmental consultant, and Mohammed Yousef Al Jaidah, environmental activist, Mohammed Saeed Al Muhannadi, environmental activist, andJassim Ahmed Al Lingawi, representative of fishermen.
