Eight Arabian Gulf countries are preparing a strategy to protect marine life in the region.

 

A preparatory meeting of senior officials of environmental agencies from the Kuwait-based Regional Marine Environment Agency (ROPME) began in Jeddah on Monday.

 

The ROPME members from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Iraq and Iran took part in the two-day meeting.

 

Participating countries are assessing the environmental conditions on their coastlines, developing mechanisms on a regional level to curb various hazards and preparing an action plan to be adopted at a ministerial meeting this weekend.

 

“All the countries in the region need to preserve their marine wealth, which is part and parcel of Arabian society,” said Abdul Basit Sarfi, secretary of the ROPME. He said coordinated efforts between bordering states in the region would help to deal effectively with marine pollution issues.

 

Abdul Rahman Al-Awadi, secretary-general of the ROPME, hailed the Kingdom’s support for the strategy, and said officials should discuss issues that could be presented at ministerial meetings.

 

Al-Awadi said countries need satellite monitoring and evaluation to protect fish in the region and protect their coastal land. He said officials should develop new protocols to deal with various forms of pollution and ban ships carrying nuclear waste in the region.