Latest news with #marinepollution
Khaleej Times
7 hours ago
- Health
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Plastic, crude oil, laundry microfibers top causes of seabird deaths, study finds
Nearly 13 per cent of seabirds found along the country's shores had ingested marine pollutants, including plastic debris, crude oil, tar balls, and even microfibers from laundry waste, a new study revealed. A recent study by the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (Epaa) in Sharjah has shed light on the alarming impact of marine pollution on the UAE's coastal wildlife. The study found that over 11 per cent of the examined seabirds had ingested marine debris, while nearly 2 per cent were found with traces of crude oil or tar balls in their digestive systems. The most commonly consumed ingested materials were plastic polymers, especially polyethylene, followed by glass, fishing hooks, and oil residues, all of which pose serious health risks to marine birds. One surprising source of pollution uncovered in the study was laundry wastewater. Researchers found that microfibers — released from synthetic fabrics during washing — accounted for nearly 78 per cent of all detected microplastics in a sub-analysis of 20 birds. This study, published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin, is the first of its kind in the Middle East to systematically examine seabird ingestion of marine debris. Analysing the digestive tracts of 478 dead seabirds from 17 species collected across the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, the findings reveal the severe consequences of marine pollution on coastal wildlife, highlighting the urgent need for action to safeguard these vulnerable ecosystems. 'This study lays the scientific foundation for long-term monitoring of marine waste impacts,' said Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, chairperson of Epaa. 'It also highlights the need for urgent, collective action to protect our fragile marine ecosystems.' Among the seabirds most affected by debris ingestion were juvenile large white-headed gulls, which were found to be more susceptible than adults. This highlights the added vulnerability of younger birds and the importance of targeting conservation efforts at all stages of seabird life. The study, conducted under the Sharjah Strandings Response Program, is not only a major scientific milestone but also a catalyst for long-term monitoring of marine pollution. Researchers say the data will help inform evidence-based conservation strategies and support environmental policy development not just in the UAE, but across the Gulf. In 2023, the Epaa successfully released 158 rehabilitated seabirds back into the wild at Al Heera Beach in Sharjah. These birds, rescued from various coastal areas, were thoroughly examined, treated, and rehabilitated by qualified veterinarians. Their successful return to the sea underscores the critical importance of rescue and rehabilitation efforts, working hand-in-hand with scientific research, to protect marine wildlife. 'This is more than a scientific milestone,' Al Suwaidi added. 'It reaffirms Sharjah's position as a regional leader in environmental and biodiversity research, and shows our deep commitment to sustainability and marine life protection.' The timing of the findings could not be more urgent. As the UAE continues to develop its coastline and expand its tourism and shipping sectors, the study serves as a stark reminder of the invisible waste accumulating in our oceans and its deadly consequences for wildlife. In the UAE, there are existing marine protection laws. Under Federal Law No. 24 of 1999, discharging pollutants, such as oil waste, plastic, or hazardous materials, into UAE waters is a criminal offence. Violators face fines of up to Dh1 million, possible imprisonment, and are financially responsible for clean-up operations. The law empowers authorities to take direct action against ships, companies, or individuals whose activities harm marine ecosystems. Coinciding with World Environment Day, the Epaa hopes the study will not only raise awareness about the dangers of marine pollution but also inspire action from the public. Everyday behaviours, such as improperly discarding plastic or neglecting to use laundry filters, can have devastating long-term effects that stretch far beyond the shoreline. 'Each piece of plastic that reaches the ocean could end up in the belly of a bird,' said one marine biologist involved in the study. 'This is about more than seabirds. It's about the health of the entire marine ecosystem — and ultimately, our own.'
Free Malaysia Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Divers cleaning seabed off Greek island Alonissos raise alarm over pollution
Items recovered off Alonissos represent just a tiny part of the tens of thousands of tons of waste that litter the Mediterranean Sea every year. (Wikimedia Commons pic) ALONISSOS : Off the Greek island of Alonissos in the eastern Aegean Sea, volunteer divers grab decaying plastic bottles, a tyre and a rusted anchor chain from the seabed and place them in a trash bag as part of an EU-funded cleanup to protect marine life. The items recovered off Alonissos – a favourite tourist spot for its green-blue waters, and Europe's largest protected marine park – represent just a tiny part of the tens of thousands of tons of waste that litter the Mediterranean Sea every year. The park, set up off Alonissos in the early 1990s, is home to one of the world's last remaining colonies of the Monk seal, and a refuge for over 300 fish species, dolphins and sea turtles. Its existence has made both locals and tourists increasingly aware of the risks of marine pollution, said Theodora Francis, 31, one of the divers who joined the two-day initiative. 'We visited five, four areas to check whether we find rubbish in those areas,' Francis said. 'In most of those areas we didn't… but in some areas we did.' She said the main port of Votsi, where most tourism and fishing occurs, was the site of most litter. To protect its coastal biodiversity, Greece has promised to create another two marine parks in the Aegean and the Ionian Sea in the west, part of 21 initiatives worth €780 million. It has legislated the expansion of marine protected areas to 30% of its territorial waters by 2030, and has submitted plans to the EU setting out how it will organise fishing, tourism and offshore energy. 'People all over the globe should know that we have the strength to change everything. We really believe in the individual responsibility of people, we invest in this,' said George Sarelakos, 46, president of the Greece-based agency which organised the cleanup, Aegean Rebreath. For Francis, Alonissos can be a model for the protection of the seas. 'If every island had the same interest in taking care of their environment, we would have the Alonissos situation in many more islands.'
Washington Post
27-05-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
World's nations to gather in France to tackle what UN says is a global emergency in the oceans
UNITED NATIONS — The world's nations are gathering in France next month to tackle what the United Nations calls a global emergency facing the world's oceans as they confront rising temperatures, plastic pollution choking marine life, and relentless overexploitation of fish and other resources. The third U.N. Ocean Conference aims to unite governments, scientists, businesses and civil society to take action and raise money to address these and other crises facing the oceans and the people who rely on them for their survival.
Malay Mail
27-05-2025
- General
- Malay Mail
Greece's eco divers battle litter in Europe's largest marine park
ALONISSOS (Greece), May 28 — Off the Greek island of Alonissos in the eastern Aegean Sea, volunteer divers grab decaying plastic bottles, a tyre and a rusted anchor chain from the seabed and place them in a trash bag as part of an EU-funded cleanup to protect marine life. The items recovered off Alonissos — a favourite tourist spot for its green-blue waters, and Europe's largest protected marine park — represent just a tiny part of the tens of thousands of tons of waste that litter the Mediterranean Sea every year. The park, set up off Alonissos in the early 1990s, is home to one of the world's last remaining colonies of the Monk seal, and a refuge for over 300 fish species, dolphins and sea turtles. Its existence has made both locals and tourists increasingly aware of the risks of marine pollution, said Theodora Francis, 31, one of the divers who joined the two-day initiative. 'We visited five, four areas to check whether we find rubbish in those areas,' Francis said. 'In most of those areas we didn't... but in some areas we did.' She said the main port of Votsi, where most tourism and fishing occurs, was the site of most litter. A volunteer of the environmental group Aegean Rebreath sorts through waste gathered from the bottom of the seabed of the port of Votsi, on the island of Alonissos, Greece, May 25, 2025. To protect its coastal biodiversity, Greece has promised to create another two marine parks in the Aegean and the Ionian Sea in the west, part of 21 initiatives worth €780 million (RM3.7 billion). It has legislated the expansion of marine protected areas to 30 per cent of its territorial waters by 2030, and has submitted plans to the EU setting out how it will organise fishing, tourism and offshore energy. 'People all over the globe should know that we have the strength to change everything. We really believe in the individual responsibility of people, we invest in this,' said George Sarelakos, 46, president of the Greece-based agency which organised the cleanup, Aegean Rebreath. For Francis, Alonissos can be a model for the protection of the seas. 'If every island had the same interest in taking care of their environment, we would have the Alonissos situation in many more islands.' — Reuters
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Greek island clean up begins as plastic bottles and garbage litter seabed
Off the Greek island of Alonissos, volunteer divers are working to clean up the seabed in Europe's largest protected marine park. Decaying plastic bottles, a discarded tyre, and rusted anchor chains are just some of the items they have pulled from the turquoise waters. This cleanup effort, funded by the EU, aims to protect the diverse marine life that calls this sanctuary home. The waters around Alonissos, a popular tourist destination in the eastern Aegean Sea, are part of a marine park established in the early 1990s. This park provides a crucial habitat for a variety of species, including one of the world's last remaining colonies of the endangered Monk seal, more than 300 fish species, dolphins, and sea turtles. However, the park, like much of the Mediterranean Sea, faces a significant threat from pollution, with tens of thousands of tons of waste entering its waters annually. Theodora Francis, 31, a volunteer diver participating in the two-day cleanup, noted that the park's existence has raised awareness among both locals and tourists about the dangers of marine pollution. The recovered items represent just a small fraction of the debris impacting the delicate ecosystem. "We visited five, four areas to check whether we find rubbish in those areas," Francis, 31, said. "In most of those areas we didn't... but in some areas we did." She said the main port of Votsi, where most tourism and fishing occurs, was the site of most litter. To protect its coastal biodiversity, Greece has promised to create another two marine parks in the Aegean and the Ionian Sea in the west, part of 21 initiatives worth 780 million euros ($887.5 million). It has legislated the expansion of marine protected areas to 30% of its territorial waters by 2030, and has submitted plans to the EU setting out how it will organise fishing, tourism and offshore energy. "People all over the globe should know that we have the strength to change everything. We really believe in the individual responsibility of people, we invest in this," said George Sarelakos, 46, president of the Greece-based agency which organised the cleanup, Aegean Rebreath. For Francis, Alonissos can be a model for the protection of the seas. "If every island had the same interest in taking care of their environment, we would have the Alonissos situation in many more islands."
