Coral reef surveys raise awareness and encourage efforts to preserve the Qatari marine environment for future generations, the minister said.

Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Subaie, Qatar’s minister for environment and climate change, has recently taken part in a field survey of the nation’s coral reefs reinforcing efforts to protect and develop Qatar’s marine environment.

The environment ministry highlighted that Monday’s underwater survey trip underscored Qatar’s commitment to protecting its natural resources.

Al Subaie was joined by Major General Jassim bin Ali Al Attiyah, commander of the joint special forces, and Mohammed Yousef Al Jaida, environment directorate at the defence ministry.

Other officials from the environment ministry, marine researchers and activists also participated in the underwater field research and collectively assessed the coral reefs’ condition. The gathered data will inform future conservation measures aimed at preserving the underwater ecosystem.

For Al Subaie, such efforts are important to raise awareness about the urgency to protect Qatar’s marine environment and ensure its sustainability for future generations to come.

This latest survey followed an earlier marine study carried out by the ministry in June to examine the health of coral reefs and overall health of the marine system.

The expedition was conducted by teams of experts from the Wildlife Development Department in cooperation with the Marine Protection Department.

Qatar is home to approximately 48 percent of the coral reefs in the Arabian Gulf, making it one of the most abundant countries in the GCC region in terms of coral reef population.

Coral reef health is at the epicentre of maintaining the biodiversity of ocean ecosystems. The reefs play a pivotal role in supporting diverse marine life, including thousands of fish and hundreds of hard coral species. However, they face significant threats from activities like dredging, pollution, and overfishing, jeopardising their health and the ecosystem they sustain.