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Sameh Saeid
Doha
The Ministry of Municipality and Environmental (MME), in cooperation with Maersk Centre for Oil Research and Technology, will host the"Fourth International Conference for whale shark" from May 16 to 18 in Doha.
The conference will explore the reasons behind the gathering of large number of whale sharks in Qatari waters, particularly in and around Al Shaheen area, between April and September every year.
The conference, which will be held outside the US for the first time, will see participation of around 100 academics and scientists from 28 countries.
The conference also aims to promote international cooperation to preserve whale shark and to share experiences and research related to this phenomenon.
Whale shark project leader Mohammed Algidah said,"We had spotted over 400 whale sharks around Al Shaheen oil field, approximately 80km off the north coast of Qatar, a phenomena that very few places on earth can match such a display of marine giants feeding."
"Offshore platforms in the Al Shaheen oil field have become artificial reefs and may play an important role in attracting whale sharks to this area. Consequently, the Ministry of Environment and the Maersk Oil Research and Technology Centre have launched a research programme that will investigate the importance of these structures for the marine bio-diversity in Qatar," he added.
Algidah said whale shark research project has achieved amazing results during the past six years.
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