Conservation%20of%20Coral%20Reefs%20in%20Kuwait - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Conservation%20of%20Coral%20Reefs%20in%20Kuwait

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Title: Conservation%20of%20Coral%20Reefs%20in%20Kuwait


1
Conservation 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

3
Kubbar Island and surrounding Reef
4
Terns breeding at Kubbar Island
5
Qaro Island and surrounding Reef
6
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7
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8
Umm Al-Maradem Island and surrounding Reef
9
Patch and Platform Reefs
10
Coral 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.

11
Fish 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.

12
Conservation 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.

21
Gaps 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

22
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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
  • Prints
  • 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.

30
The 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.

40
National 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,

41
National 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.

42

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