People Make The Difference
Written by K. Roger Uwate and Wajeeha Al Baharna

In many countries, the responsibility for marine conservation
is
with a government office. Typically, these offices face budget
and
resource constraints. This is also true in Bahrain. As with
most
marine resource/fisheries offices, there are many priorities,
but
limited internal resources to adequately address them.

One way to supplement government efforts to manage and conserve
marine resources is through people power. This includes
independent public actions as well as cooperation between the
public and government.

Under this program, volunteer divers have assisted in such projects
as: (1) fish releases, (2) artificial reefs, (3) sea-bed contact
identification surveys, (4) marine habitat surveys, and (5) marine
debris clean-up. In addition, volunteer divers have assisted
commercial fishermen find lost fish traps (gargoor).

One more recent project completed by these volunteers was the
1997
International Year of the Coral Reef, Reef Check surveys.
Worldwide, over 750 volunteer divers with 100 volunteer scientists
surveyed more than 300 reefs in 31 countries. In the Arabian
Gulf,
Bahrain was the only country to field a team of volunteers to
conduct these baseline surveys.

In the last few years, there has been a more concerted effort
to
inform the public about the importance of the marine environment.

The Directorate of Fisheries is now regularly involved in a variety
of public exhibitions, such as National Day and the Bahrain Boat
Show. This effort has expanded to the international level with

participation in the April 1998 Regional Organization for
Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) exhibition in Kuwait.

In addition, related materials are now routinely provided to the
local media. Staff now routinely give marine awareness
presentations to schools and various clubs around Bahrain.

Annually, there is a shrimp closed season in Bahrain. This was
initiated to allow small shrimps to grow. Public announcements
have been initiated urging the public not to purchase illegally
caught shrimp during this period. It is heartwarming to hear
parents comment that their child informed them not to buy shrimp
during this period. Without a market, illegal fishing activities
are severely impacted.

As part of the marine debris campaign, boaters have been urged
to
use trash bags on board their boats and to report unusual marine
conditions. Reports have been received of recreational boaters
finding and releasing live turtles which were entangled in plastic.

In addition, recreational boaters and commercial fishermen have
served as the eyes and ears on the marine environment. When they
observe illegal activities or unusual situations, they have passed
such information on to appropriate officials. This has been
especially useful in monitoring dredgers and large fish trawlers
that occasionally wander outside of their legal operating areas.

Local diving clubs have been informed that when lost fish traps
(with no marker floats) are found while sports diving, they should
be neutralized to stop ghost fishing. Periodically sports divers
report that numbers of fish traps in such areas as Fasht Al Adhom
and Hayr Shutaya.

Another example of this close public cooperation was the coral
bleaching event in Bahrain during the summer of 1996. Information
provided by recreational boaters was critical to initiation of
government investigations.

This annual event provides a snap shot of trash accumulated at
selected beaches in Bahrain. Data collected from this activity
indicates that the amount of coastal debris in Bahrain has
increased dramatically over the last few years. These results
can
be correlated with the increased use of rubbish in land reclamation
activities in Bahrain. This is the alarm signaling that proper
reclamation techniques are urgently required in here.

You can make a difference!

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