Qatar’s coastal environment is home to a large whale shark and dugong population.
The Qatar Creates (QC) platform, an initiative launched by Qatar Museums in 2019, has marked World Oceans Day by sharing a salient message from a member of the creative community.
In a post via Instagram, internationally acclaimed Qatar wildlife photographer, Azzam Al Mannai, said that his community was duty bound to preserve its oceans.
“I always dive deep underwater to discover the beauty of this world, but nothing compares to the beauty,” he said. He added that life cannot exist without the oceans – and stressed on the importance of protecting the seas for the sake of future generations.
The self-taught photographer’s work has featured on Netflix’s ‘Our Planet II’ series presented by Sir David Attenborough.
Al Mannai’s lens has extensively captured the majestic movements of Qatar’s whale sharks. The temperature of the Gulf’s sea waters is perfect for the whale sharks to breed and feed. According to a 2023 survey by Qatar’s Whale Shark Research Project, these conditions have attracted as many as 600 of the majestic creatures to Qatar’s waters, marking it as the host of one of the world’s largest whale share congregations.
Maritime conservation
World Ocean Day, celebrated on June 8, aligns with Qatar’s commitment to the sustainability goals set forth in its National Vision 2030. Driven by collective resolve, Qatar is dedicated to advancing marine conservation efforts.
The Qatari Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) has underscored the pivotal role that oceans, which cover 71 percent of our planet, play in sustainability. The Ministry’s infographic reported that the world’s oceans capture 90 percent of the heat generated by emissions, absorb 30 percent of carbon dioxide emissions as well as generate 50 percent of the world’s oxygen.
The Ministry called for a collective “commitment to action” to preserve the oceans for generations to come. Qatar is known for hosting the world’s largest group of whale sharks, and the second-largest group of dugongs.
Over the weekend, the department’s minister Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Subaie, represented Qatar at a high-level conference under the theme ‘Ocean Action: Immersed in Change’ in Costa Rica.
Al Subaie underscored Qatar’s efforts towards maritime conservation, from biodiversity preservation projects to tackling pollution through robust legislation. Notably, the MoECC’s Marine Protection Department is tasked with enforcing domestic laws and environmental treaties are aimed at safeguarding marine and coastal environments in Qatar.
On the sidelines of the two-day conference, Qatar’s Climate Change Minister met with the Costa Rican President, Rodrigo Chaves Robles. The two officials discussed the potential for bolstering bilateral relations to foster cooperation in sustainability initiatives and efforts to combat climate change.
Last year the MoECC announced plans to expand marine reserves to cover 30 percent of the nation’s Exclusive Economic Zone at the Qatar Whale Shark Conservation Forum 2023 held in Qatar.
Meanwhile, Education Above All announced its collaboration with Alflatoun International where students from the Aflateen Club will lead innovative initiatives such as beach cleanups and recycling projects to protect our oceans from plastics.
The Qatari coastal environment is also home to parrot fish, sea turtles, dolphins and much more.
Qatar also boasts the world’s second-largest population of dugongs, with herds of 600 to 700 of these marine mammals documented in its waters.
