Diving club volunteers advised to contact MRMEWR
MUSCAT -- An extensive nation-wide corals and mangroves survey and clean-up drive will be launched next week by the Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment and Water Resources (MRMEWR), according to Thuraya Said al Sariri, Director of Marine Environmental Protection Department. For the coral clean-up operation, the ministry would use the services of its own divers as well as volunteers from diving clubs in Oman. Professional divers from a number of diving clubs have in the past extended considerable co-operation in coral clean-up operations.
Thuraya said, "The coral clean-up drive will cover all cyclone-affected areas along the entire coastline, including Damaniyat Islands, Fahal Island, Barr al Jissah and Sur". Investigating environment of coral reefs is important to assess the impact of the recent tropical cyclone Gonu. This would involve, she said, diving and investigating corals ranging from four metres to 12 metres deep. Divers will also bring samples of sea water and other items for lab tests about environmental quality and contamination, if any.
Coral clean-up, said Thuraya, is important because corals remove and recycle carbon dioxide; coral reefs shelter land from ocean storms and floods, reefs provide resources for fisheries, and attract a large number of tourists every year. The reef is also home to a variety of worms, shrimps, crabs, lobsters, starfish, sea cucumbers, and sea urchins. Octopuses, squids, clams, scallops, marine snails and in some parts of the world some species of sharks, skates, and rays live on reefs. Some sea turtles frequent reef areas. In areas where some of the reef's table and branching corals were quite small and low in profile at the time of the cyclone may have been affected.
The survey would determine the extent to which Gonu had an impact on the coral reefs in its path. Similarly, Thuraya said, mangroves' survey and clean up is important because they protect shorelines from erosion, from damaging storms, waves, and floods. Mangroves also help prevent erosion by stabilising sediments with their tangled root systems. They maintain water quality and clarity, filtering pollutants and trapping sediments originating from land.
Mangroves serve as valuable nursery areas for fish and invertebrates. Serving as valuable nursery areas for shrimp, crustaceans, molluscs, and fishes, mangroves are a critical component of Oman's commercial and recreational fishing industries. These habitats provide a rich source of food while also offering refuge from predation. Oman's fisheries can suffer a dramatic decline without access to healthy mangrove habitats.
The aim of this survey and clean-up drive is to investigate the extent to which Gonu has adversely affected corals and mangroves. The survey will highlight vulnerable and impacted areas requiring management measures. Based on the survey findings, the ministry will work out a plan to restore their health, Thuraya said.
By Hasan Kamoonpuri
© Oman Daily Observer 2007
