Emirates Heritage Club launches Marine Atlas
In a speech delivered on his behalf by Saeed Mohammed Al Raqbani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Sheikh Sultan affirmed UAE's keenness on developing and preserving marine eco-system.
"The United Arab Emirates, which is blessed by Allah the Almighty with abundant coastal and marine resources and has acknowledged this blessing which is part of our fathers and forefathers' heritage and also promises future for our nation," Sheikh Sultan said.
He recalled cited a saying by the late Sheikh Bayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan that "Since its inception, the UAE has considered protection of environment a major goal in its development policy, and has exerted tremendous efforts in harsh environmental conditions to overcome the problems of desertification and to expand landscape areas, develop water resources, improve marine environment, protect it against pollution and preserve reproduction of fish, live stock and birds by enforcing proper legislations." Sheikh Sultan also paid tribute to President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan for "adopting the same policy which has had a major impact on developing and improving our marine and land environment." He added that the marine atlas project had been implemented as part of an ambitious plan aimed at identifying salient features of the country's marine environment.
"Several years ago, we commenced programmes to study and monitor the marine environment of Abu Dhabi emirate. The Marine Atlas is our first step which will be followed many others including, surveying the entire marine environment of the United Arab Emirates," Sheikh Sultan said.
"We plan," he continued, "to conserve biodiversity and maintain ecological balance. Whilst celebrating the occasion of launching this marine Atlas, it gratifies us to learn that our efforts have inspired other countries to follow, thus, achieving goodness for all mankind." Sheikh Sultan thanked the scientists, experts and researchers who took part in launching the Atlas.
Professor Ronald Philips, who delivered a speech on behalf of the Atlas Scientific Committee, described the Atlas as an "important step towards the conservation of sustainable development of Abu Dhabi's marine and coastal resources, the same resources that have traditionally nourished the people of the area for thousands of years." He praised launching of the Atlas, adding that most countries in the world had not been as far-sighted as the UAE, and have only realised the importance of their marine resources when they had been severely degraded or lost for ever.
The Atlas provides new and interesting information about marine and coastal eco-systems in the Southern Gulf, an area that until quite recently, was mostly unknown scientifically. New species were identified during the Atlas programme including large mammals such as Orca or Killer whales, which were observed for the first time in Arabian Gulf.
"It was in 2000, that the Scientific Committee put together recommendations based on initial Atlas research, including the designation of a large marine reserves centered on the island of Marrawah," Professor Philip added.
Abdul Monem Mohamed Darwish, Director of the Club's Department of Environmental research, lauded Sheikh Sultan's major role in seeing the Atlas coming into light.
He added that the Atlas will provide UAE with important data on the status of marine environment that can be utilised for sustainable development.
"The Atlas programme consisted of nine research projects that were accomplished with the assistance of a distinguished group of qualified young post graduate students," Abdul Monem said.
Al Raqbani, on behalf of Sheikh Sultan, gave away certificates and mementos to the participants in the Atlas project.
WAM/MAB 21 38 CCCCQQE