Minister stresses preserving whale sharks in Qatari waters

The Qatar Whale Shark Conservation Forum 2023, organised by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change in partnership with the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), kicked off on Monday at the Aquatic Fisheries Research Centre in Ras Matbakh, north of Qatar.
Three main sessions are being held at the two-day forum, during which 18 research papers will be presented, with the participation of more than 11 local, regional and international experts and researchers.
The research papers review topics related to preserving the whale shark, the factors affecting its life and some of the risks it faces, and studies of its migration patterns in the seas and oceans. The research presented also included modern technologies used to track its migration patterns.
In his speech during the forum's opening, HE the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser bin Ahmed bin Ali al-Thani said the forum's organisation was based on the ministry's responsibilities with the international community in protecting the environment, and as a complement to the State's active role in preserving marine life and the important biodiversity it contains.
He reviewed the country's efforts over the past years, adding Qatar has launched the National Environment and Climate Change Strategy (QNE) 2030, and also prepared the Qatar National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for the Conservation and Management of Marine Resources, and the preparation of maps of coastal areas and maps of benthic habitats of environmental importance, as well as updating and issuing legislation and laws that protect the marine environment and criminalise harming its biodiversity, in addition to working to increase the area of marine reserves to 30% of the exclusive economic zone of Qatar.
HE the Minister said that as part of Qatar National Vision 2030, especially with regard to the fourth pillar concerned with environmental development, the ministry has conducted research and studies related to biological diversity, including the study that was conducted in 2010, which included several regions, under the supervision of a group of scientists and specialists, where it documented the intense presence of whale sharks in Qatar, and revealed that the Qatari territorial waters witness one of the largest concentrations of these fish, specifically in the Al-Shaheen field in the northeastern region of the country's waters.
He said on an average there are about 600 whale sharks, pointing out that no higher number has been documented anywhere else in the world. This provided the important infrastructure for developing plans to protect and preserve them in the Qatari territorial waters.
HE the Minister noted the importance of convening such regional forums, which are a platform for consultation between regional and international partners to highlight international efforts to protect marine biodiversity, transfer knowledge and exchange opinions, ideas and viewpoints through discussion sessions and research papers presented, pointing out that the forum supports the co-ordination of efforts between partners, and contributes to developing a common vision on the most important challenges and risks facing this rare type of whale.
He referred to the importance of joint work to develop solutions and recommendations and take appropriate decisions to protect these species from risks and challenges, in order to preserve whale sharks.
He revealed a study to establish a regional office for the whale shark in Qatar, as part of the country's efforts to preserve the whale shark, and as a continuation of the ministry's efforts that it has been carrying out for years to preserve marine biodiversity in Qatar in a way that contributes to increasing the region's capabilities to protect these fish, and placing them on an ambitious road map with clear landmarks that enhance sustainability efforts among all regional efforts to preserve and protect the living creatures in our territorial waters.
Concluding his speech, HE the Minister of Environment appreciated the efforts of all parties, partners and supporters of the forum, including the Unesco office, Qatar University, Qatar Airways, the Seashore Recycling and Sustainability Company and all participants, expressing his hope that the regional forum would be held annually, to unify efforts and joint action, and to build an effective strategy to preserve whale sharks in the region.
Programme specialist at the Unesco Office for the GCC and Yemen Farida Aboudan said the forum, which coincided with the International Day for Biological Diversity, is a reminder of the importance of preserving the environment, in a way that guarantees the safety of whale sharks.
She pointed out that whale sharks occupy an important place in the world today, due to their unique characteristics, warning of challenges that threaten their survival, such as the destruction and damage of their important habitats, and the impact of climate change on the marine ecosystem, and the impact of pollution in the form of plastic waste, chemical runoff, and oil spills.
She noted that the partnership between Unesco and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change represents a strong platform for exchanging knowledge and sharing best practices, research results and protection strategies with neighbouring countries and abroad.
Concluding her speech, Aboudan affirmed Unesco's appreciation for the ongoing discussions with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, referring to the organisation's commitment to work to protect the wonderful natural heritage of Qatar, and looking forward to positive results based on this partnership.
At the end of the forum's opening, HE Sheikh Dr Faleh honoured the participating institutions and sponsors.
The Whale Shark Forum addresses several axes, most notably: discussing ways to preserve and develop whale sharks in all participating countries, and identifying the most important challenges facing these endangered fish in general, to determine the best ways to overcome them.
The forum aims to gather stakeholders under one roof to discuss various topics related to whale sharks, raise awareness of the importance of protecting them, enhancing cooperation and partnerships among the participants, and discussing ways to develop a regional strategy for the conservation of whale sharks. (QNA)