More than just protection

Posted: 28 June 2006
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Countries are establishing Marine Pr otected Areas (MPAs) to protect marine habitats and species. The United Arab Emirates , for one, is establishing MPAs not only for protection but also to conserve its historic and cultural heritage.

It recently established Al Yasat, a group of four islands in the Western region of Abu Dhabi as a protected area.

The islands - Upper Yasat , Lower Yasat , Esam and Karsha - were declared a marine protected area by the UAE Pr esident Sheikh Kh ali fa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in late 2005.

An area of 482 square kilometres was declared a no-take zone, and only the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) would be the managing authority for the MPA.

The Al Yasat MPA is expected to provide effective protection for the area’s fish stocks at various stages in their life cycles, when they are dependent on specific habitat types or locations. In the absence of fishing pressure inside the protected area, fish will be able to grow to maturity and increase in abundance.

The Al Yasat group of islands and the surrounding waters included in the new MPA are of considerable ecological importance.

• The islands are surrounded by coral reefs which act as important marine sanctuaries to many species including the already over-exploited Hamour, Shaari and Farsh. The reefs have good coral growth and high coral cover with around 8 coral species present.

• The islands have irregular coastlines with both rocky and sandy shorelines, providing a variety of habitats.

• The MPA has suitable foraging habitats for the critically endangered Hawksbill turtles.

• The MPA also has significant populations of marine fauna including the endangered Green turtle and the Dugong.

• Desert hares are present on the islands, where they make use of the natural landscape and vegetation for shelter, food and breeding.

• Upper Yasat has an important breeding colony of Socotra cormorants, a near-endemic bird species for the UAE, which is one of less than 15 existing colonies in the world.

According to surveys undertaken in this area, the Yasat islands were once the site of human settlement in the late pre-Islamic period. The remains of shelters and other sites, which demonstrate evidence of occupation during the Late Islamic period, have also been found, including shell middens which demonstrate the way in which local inhabitants exploited the food resources present in nearby waters. Several of these sites are considered to be of national or regional importance.

Restrictions of Al Yasat Marine Pr otected Area:

• Any form of hunting, killing or catching wildlife is banned.

• Damaging the nesting areas of birds and marine turtles is banned.

• Changing the geographical features of the islands is prohibited.

• Berthing of boats in non-designated areas is banned.

• Fishing is restricted within three nautical miles from the nearest low water mark (shoreline) in the MPA.

EAD’s Research in the Al Yasat MPA:

As part of preparations for the designation of the Al Yasat area as a M,arine Pr otected Area, EAD has undertaken extensive scientific research. This has included:

• Surveys and assessment of the coral reef habitat of the area, through a continuing Coral Reef Investigation project.

• Studying of and satellite-tracking of marine turtles after their egg-laying

• Installation of permanent monitoring stations to monitor the regeneration of coral reefs.

As part of its work to enforce the no-take regulations, EAD will install around 22 marine marker buoys to mark the MPA’s boundaries.

EAD already manages the Marawah Marine Pr otected Area, further to the east, and has already carried out several fishery studies and detailed surveys in order to set up a database of fish stocks that can eventually be used to introduce a better management regime for fisheries.