UAE unveils plan to protect marine turtles

  DUBAI - The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) has rolled out the National Plan of Action for the Conservation of Marine Turtles in the UAE. The plan seeks to protect marine turtles and their habitats in the country's waters, and focuses on mitigating the direct and indirect causes of marine turtle deaths. The plan also seeks to advance the implementation of local laws and policies for the protection and integrated management of marine turtles. Improving the understanding of marine turtle ecology and enhancing the population of marine turtles through research, monitoring, and information exchange is also part of the initiative. In addition, the plan aims to preserve and rehabilitate marine turtle habitats, raise awareness and encourage public participation in marine turtle conservation activities, and build relevant capacities. "The survival of marine turtles is currently threatened by habitat loss and degradation, incidental mortality in mechanized and artisanal fisheries, marine pollution, and the effects of climate change. The National Plan of Action for the Conservation of Marine Turtles in the UAE 2018-2021 regulates and expedites conservation efforts to help the species thrive well into the future," said Hiba Al Shehhi, Acting Director of the Biodiversity Department at MOCCAE. She added: "The UAE has designated 15 marine protected areas, spanning more than 12 percent of the country's territorial waters. Marine turtles have found a sanctuary in these areas, which have become their regular nesting site." There are seven extant species of marine turtles found across the world's oceans other than the Arctic. They all fall within different categories of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, varying from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered. Only five of these species can be found in the UAE: the hawksbill turtle, loggerhead turtle, and green turtle have settled in the UAE, while the leatherback turtle and olive ridley sea turtle are migratory species. To provide a solid legislative framework for the protection of the environment and biodiversity in the UAE, the government implemented a law concerning the protection, and development of living aquatic resources in the UAE. Another federal law has also been implemented to regulate and control the international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora. GAD/Expat 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