Marine Turtles in Bahrain

1
Marine Turtles in Bahrain

• Khawla Al Muhannadi
• President of Environment Friends Society

2
Glossary

• Fasht Reef
• Fasht Al Adhim, Fasht Al Jarim Names of areas of
  coral reef in Bahrain.
• Environment Friends Society (EFS) Bahraini NGO
  very active in environmental public awareness and
  as a pressure group.
• The Commission The Public Commission for the
  Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and
  WildLife (Governmental Agency)
• BCSR Bahrain Center for Studies and Scientific
  Research
• Sulhuf an NGO Project for saving Marine Turtles

3
Source of Information

• Literature Limited
• NGO findings Sulhuf Campaign
• Internal Reports, Press Releases, Interviews
• (Fishermen, government officials, researchers)
• Limited Interest in turtles

4
Status of turtles Literature

• 1Two species of turtle were recorded in the
  Regional Water of Bahrain
• the Green turtle Chelonia mydas,
• and the Hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricata.
• 2One other species mentioned in old literature
  Loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta

1. (Vousden, 1988 Miller et al., 1989 Bell, 2001)
   in (AlZayani, 2006)
2. (Gallgher, 1971) in (Basson et al., 1981)

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Status of turtles Literature

• 1985 Fishing Log Scheme (shrimp trawl fishery
  data)
• 1995 to 1998 The Meteorology and Environmental
  Protection Administration (MEPA) conducted a
  survey on the distribution of sea turtles in the
  western Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea.
• This survey found two species of turtle in the
  Gulf, the green turtle Chelonia mydas, and the
  Hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricata.
• They were both classified as endangered species
  in the 1996 IUCN Red Data Book, for Bahrain,
  Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

(Miller, 1989) in (AlZayani, 2006)
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Status of turtles NGOs Reports
Sulhuf

• Sighting of Turtles
• More often dead than alive
• Alive Mainly juveniles
• If Caught
• Freed and let back to the sea
• Taken Home
• Sold in the market (US 40)
• Killed

EFS, 2005
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Status of turtles Literature

• No Records of nesting of turtles in Bahrain
• Arial Survey 1975-1979 (Fish, Shrimp)
• Researchers
• GDPMR
• Fishermen
• Nesting was witnessed in several occasions (Last
  observation 12 years ago)

Sulhuf
(Miller, 1989) in (AlZayani, 2006)
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Status of turtles NGOs Reports

• Nesting
• Sighting in Mashtan, Umjaileed, Al-Mueteridh,
  Juazer Al- Daar
• Sighting (Alive)
• Fasht al adhim(juvenile) ,
• Getat jaradeh(juvenile) ,
• Fasht el jarim (bigger),
• Jabali, mashtan , el meteridh ,tqhaileb and
  abuthur triangle (bigger) tens

Sulhuf
EFS, 2005
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Status of turtles NGOs Reports
Sulhuf
GEOMATIC, 2005
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Threats NGOs Reports

• Continuous dredging and reclamation and its
  impacts on marine habitats
• By catch in Shrimp trawling (Abdulgader, 2000)
• Fishermen attitudes Aggressive attitude towards
  turtles
• Fast boats
• Lack of awareness and link towards marine turtles
• Food?
• Plastic Bags?

Sulhuf
EFS, 2005
11
Existing Laws Direct

• Decree (2) year 2002 . Article 19
• It is not allowed to catch larvae or fingerlings
  of marine fishes the size of which less than the
  size permitted. It is also not allowed to catch
  turtles, seals, sea cows or any other sea mammals
  or abuse their settlement areas along the
  coastline of the Kingdom or in the fishing
  waters.

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Existing Laws Direct

• Decree (2) year 2002 .
• Section 6Punishment Article 33b
• Imprisonment for a period not exceeding a
  month and a fine not less than three hundred
  dinnars and not exceeding one thousand dinnars or
  with either of the two punishment

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Existing Laws In-Direct

• The Charter
• The Constitute
• Environmental Law 1996
• EIA
• Marine Laws (starting 1981)
• Membership in ROPME, CITES, Unified Law for the
  Protection of Wildlife Species (GCC), Bon
  Convention for Migratory Species

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laws

• Limited Enforcement
• No clear mechanism of action/reactions
• The power of the authority (legally)

15
Ongoing Conservation Projects

• Gov. (The General Directorate of Marine
  Resources)
• NGO Environment Friends Society and the EAPFA
  Sulhuf Campaign
• Research and Study Firms (BCSR, AGU, UOB)

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Ongoing Conservation ProjectsGovernment

• Old study implying relationship between shrimp
  trawling and turtles (Abdulader, 2000)
• Modifying the shrimp nets (BRD By catch
  Reduction Device)
• Local experimental nets (starting 2000)
• Bilateral with KSA (2001)
• Regional through Fisheries Commission of the FAO
  (2003, 2004).
• Preparation of a National Plan

GDPMR, 2006 BCSR, 2006
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Ongoing Conservation ProjectsGovernment/
Research Center

• FAO UNEP (GEF)
• The "Reduction of environmental impact from
  tropical shrimp trawling" project is a global
  project wth 12 participating countries and 1
  intergovernmental fisheries body.

BCSR, 2006 DGPMR, 2006
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Ongoing Conservation ProjectsGovernment/
Research Center

• The Study of Abundant and Distribution of Turtles
  and Dugongs in Bahraini Water
• Started 2004 For 18 months (originally)
• MOU GCPEMW and BCSR

BCSR, 2006 DGPMR, 2006
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Ongoing Conservation ProjectsGovernment

• the resulting distribution of sea turtles,
  categorized into three thematic areas,
  representing the recorded density of animals as
  high, medium, and low (Highest of recorded
  species 3, medium of recorded species 2,
  low of recorded species No recorded species
  0).

Al-Zayani, 2003
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Ongoing Conservation ProjectsGovernment

• Recent Helicopter survey Zalaq Fishermen
  recorded sigting of turtles in Western coast
  (SULHUF, 2006)

Al-Zayani, 2003
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NGOs Initiative
Sulhuf

• The National Campaign for the Protection Of
  Marine Turtles SULHUF Campaign Begins August
  2005
• Environmental Alliance for the Protection
• of Fasht Al Adhim (EAPFA) Environment Friends
  Society, Fishermen Union, The National Society
  for Marine Hobbies

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NGOs Initiative

• Need and Justification
• EFS spotted and kept an injured sea turtle but
  failed to find an expert in Bahrain to be able to
  treat it

Sulhuf
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NGOs Initiative
Sulhuf

• Need and Justification
• EFS found sea turtles sold in the market
• EFS found injured sea turtles in traps

24
NGOs Initiative
Sulhuf

• Need and Justification
• EFS, FMU and NSMH found (many times) dead and
  injured (mainly dead) turtles in the sea and on
  the shore during shrimp catching period (Aug
  Dec)

25
NGOs Initiative
Sulhuf

• Need and Justification
• From structured and semi structured interviews
  with old fishermen and sailormen, EFS believes
  there may be unrecorded nesting of turtles on
  Bahraini Islands.
• EAPFA believes strongly that Marine Turtles are
  in great risk

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NGOs Initiative
Sulhuf

• Need and Justification
• Part of EAPFA Campaign for the Protection of
  FASHT Al Adhim

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NGOs Initiative
Sulhuf

• Mission Protection of Marine Turtles in Bahrain
  Waters
• Objectives
• Monitoring and Recording Sightings of Marine
  Turtles (Dead and Alive) in Bahraini Waters
• Building baseline data of the distribution and
  status of Sea Turtles
• Collecting all existing literature, reports and
  findings and building a databank on sea turtles
• Coordinating and joining efforts with NGOs and
  Regional Organizations in the area

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NGOs Initiative
Sulhuf
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Sulhuf
30
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NGOs Initiative
Sulhuf

• Steps Taken
• Media Campaign

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Integrated in Marine Conservation
35
NGOs Initiative
Sulhuf

• Steps Taken
• Meetings
• Awareness

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NGOs Initiative

• Steps Taken
• Meetings
• Awareness

Sulhuf
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NGOs Initiative
Sulhuf
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Involvement
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NGOs Initiative
Sulhuf

• Steps Taken
• Capacity Building using limited Resources (We put
  all the information we have together and wrote
  our own reports, articles, stories and put
  together lectures and seminars and educated out
  volunteers first then the publish starting with
  the media people)

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Awareness
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Awareness
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Awareness
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Bilateral and Regional Plans

• Testing the modified nets (KSA, Region )
• Bahrain currently is preparing for joining IOSEA
  Marine Turtle MoU
• NGOs established communications with NGOs and
  Researchers in the area as a base for a regional
  project.

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Gaps and Challenges

• Destruction of important marine habitats for
  turtles (reclamation and dredging)
• Lack of baseline data of turtle population,
  distribution, and status
• Lack of studies on impact of on-going
  Megaprojects on the Arabian Gulf on marine
  turtles and their habitats
• Lack of protected marine dedicated areas
• Shortage of funding to research and studies
• Resistance from local fishermen to the use o the
  modified nets
• Limited Utilization of NGOs
• No detailed mechanism and set of steps for
  putting the law in action
• Lack of Intra- and Inter- Cooperation and
  coordination on regional level
• Lack of Follow-up monitoring

EFS, 2005 Al Zayani, 2003 Hamann, et al. 2006
46
Recommendation

• Urgent efforts towards marine habitat protection
• Mandatory inclusion, regarding sea turtles, in
  the EIA study of any new marine project or
  extension of a project
• Cooperation between Sulhuf and GDPMR regarding
  RBD.
• Adaptation and support of the NGOs initiative
  The National Campaign for Protecting Turtles
  (Suhuf)
• Abundance and Distribution Of Dugongs and Sea
  Turtles in Bahraini Water Study should create a
  partnership with NGOs who are in this field.
• Link to existing projects in the region
• Regional Combined Initiatives

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Source of Information

• BCSR
• Dr. Mohammed Al Romaidh
• Dr. Adel Al Zayani (left)
• Dr. Ibrahim Abdulgader
• DPMR
• Mr. Jassim Al Qasir
• Fishermen Union
• Sulhuf

Acknowledgment
48
List Of References

• Abdulqader, E.A.(2000 ). Turtle Incidences in
  Shrimp Trawl Nets During the 1997-1998 Shrimp
  Season in Bahrain Waters. Asian Fisheries Science
  13187-296. Philippines.
• Al-Zanyani, A. K. (2003). The Selection of Areas
  (MPAs) A Model for The Kingdom of Bahrain. PhD
  Thesis Centre for Environmental Sciences,
  University of Southampton, UK.
• GEOMATEC, BCSR 2006. Marine Environmental
  Geographic Information System (MARGIS II). Report
  submitted to the Government of Bahrain, GEOMATEC,
  BCSR, August 2006.
• Hamann ,et al. (2006). Assessment of the
  conservation of the leatherback turtle in the
  Indian Ocean and South-East Asia. IOSEA Marine
  Turtle MOU Secretariat. Thailand.
• GCPEMW (2006). Semi-structured interviews with
  Mr. Jasim Al Qassir .
• BCSR (2006). Semi-structured interviews with Dr.
  Mohammed Al Romaidh, Dr Ibrahim Abdulqader and
  Dr. Adil Al-Zayani.
• The Study of Abundant and Distribution of
  Turtles and Dugongs in Bahraini Water. Reports.
• http//www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default
  .asp?DocumentID484ArticleID5327len
• Regional Meeting (2006)Memorandum of
  Understanding on the Conservation and Management
  of Marine Turtles and their Habitats of the
  Indian Ocean and South-East Asia . Oman.

49
Thank You!

• Khawla Al Muhannadi
• Environment Friends Society Bahrain
• mangrove_at_batelco.com.bh
• almuhannadi.khawla_at_gmail.com

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• Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill
  turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) are the only sea
  turtles recorded in Bahrain

52

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• (Miller, 1989 Bill, 2000 Al-Zyani, 2003)
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• There are seven living species of sea turtles, of
  which two are common in the Gulf.
• The green turtle Cheloria mydas is the commonest
  species locally.
• The hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbrica

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• The Project is funded by the Global Environmental
  Facility (GEF), implemented by the United Nations
  Environmental Programme (UNEP) and executed by
  the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
  United Nations (FAO) and the governments and
  private sector of the twelve participating
  countries and SEAFDEC. For details, see the REBYC
  brochure (PDF
• The "Reduction of environmental impact from
  tropical shrimp trawling" project is a global
  project with 12 participating countries and 1
  intergovernmental fisheries body.

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Status of turtles Literature

• Few information available on the abundance and
  distribution of green turtles in Bahrain Water.
• These data were gathered from different studies
  (Miller et al., 1989 Preen et al., 1989
  Mohamed, 1991, 1993 King, 1999), and survey
  reports (Bell, 2001 King, 2002 BCSR, 2005 EFS,
  2005) and other reports from fishermen.

(Miller, 1989) in (AlZayani, 2006)
56
Ongoing Conservation ProjectsGovernment/
Research Center

• Data Collected from different sources DGPMR,
  BCSR, recorders
• The points data was input in the GIS (digitized)
  and transferred to maps (representing the
  geographical coordinates of the recoded sittings)
  were digitally converted into areas/polygons to
  make them suitable for spatial analysis.
• These output polygons (generated in ESRI
  Shapefile format) were created using the assign
  proximity utility analysis in ArcView 3.2. This
  utility creates a grid of discrete zones
  (Theissen polygons) around the target points, by
  assigning each cell to the nearest target
  feature.

Al Zayani, 2003
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Status of turtles Literature

• In survey in 2000
• The shallow offshore area to the south east of
  Bahrain had the highest densities of turtles
  (6.5/km2 )
• The second is the area between Bahrain and Hawar
  (0.6/km2 ).
• The highest density of turtle foraging was
  observed between the headland of Hadd al Jamal
  (50o 37.50 and 26o 51.00) and the shallow area
  of Jabbari (50o 40.00 and 26o 55.00).

(Al Zayani, 2003).
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NGOs Initiative
Sulhuf
59
?????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ???????The
National Campaign for Saving Marine Turtles
(Sulhuf)
First Press Conference ??????? ?????? ????? 5
?????? 2005

• ??????? ??????? ???? ???????
• Khawla Al Muhannadi
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• ????? ????? ?????? ??????

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Press Conferences

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