By Hani Al-Awath (With photo)

KUWAIT, Jan 7 (KUNA) -- The Kuwaiti Diving Team, offshoot of Kuwait Environment Preservation Society, said its team members realized a record number of operations to remove sunken vessels and debris, an overall of 394, and managed to save marine life from discarded fishing nets and other fishing gear in several locations.

Marine Operations Director of the team Walid Al-Shatti told KUNA the team's important achievements last year also included the removal of a 50 feet long boat that weighed 8 tons from Ras Al-Ardh Club area.

As for the fishing nets and gear endangering marine life and the coral reef, these were removed from locations in Ereifjan, east of Kubbar Island, Um Al-Maradem Reef, Bnaider Reef, and others, Al-Shatti noted.

The team made sure there were clear markings indicating coral reef and marine life preserves areas and also made sure such areas were free of fishing activity as part of a marine life rehabilitation project.

In terms of staff, the team completed training of personnel in diving, technical operations, navigation, as well as photography to document team activity.

The team documents its operations and uploads photos and media on these on its website and frequently gets messages of praise and support, and the site is updated routinely, he said.

Team members also cooperated with Kuwait Television and shot footage of an operation in coral reef areas for "Al-Danah" TV program. The program was aired already, he pointed out.

The team was also among the participants in the activities of the Second Kuwait Environment Festival organized by the Scientific Center, sponsored by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah.

On the support the team gets from other parties, Al-Shatti recalled an Amiri grant and support from the Waqf (endowment) Fund for Health Development of Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation.

Grateful for these and other forms of support, the team is looking forward to volunteering on more projects and operations to help preserve Kuwait's marine environment and rehabilitate it where needed, Al-Shatti stressed.