Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has announced that, for the first time in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi will host the 16th International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW) in 2026.
The announcement was made by the World Seagrass Association (WSA) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature – Sea Grass Specialist Group (IUCN – SSG) on 1 August, 2024.
The ISBW, first held in Kominato, Japan, in 1993, is a platform that brings together governments, scientists, researchers and specialists in the field of coastal and marine environments to focus on global seagrass issues, improve seagrass knowledge, develop networks and advocate for seagrass protection and conservation.
In addition, the biennial ISBW aims to help support and monitor global research on seagrass and provide a space to describe and foster positive management outcomes for coastal seagrass environments.
Her Excellency Dr Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, said: “For the first time in the region, Abu Dhabi has been selected to host the 16thInternational Seagrass Biology Workshop in 2026, further enhancing its pioneering role in the field of biodiversity conservation, and affirming our regional leadership position in coastal and marine research. This accomplishment is an extension of the commitment of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi to the Seagrass Breakthrough 2030.
“The UAE has continued to protect seagrasses under Federal Law, No. 24 of 1999 on the Protection and Development of the Environment, recognising them as natural ecosystems of ecological importance and we are doing everything possible to protect restore and rehabilitate as many as possible so these important plants can continue to play a crucial role in supporting diverse wildlife, providing crucial ecosystem services.
“Seagrass offers significant advantages in mitigating climate change, protecting biodiversity and propels our achievement of sustainable development goals. Our ongoing research has shown that Abu Dhabi’s seagrass beds store as much as 52 tonnes of blue carbon per hectare and is one of the nature-based solutions to combat climate change.
“We have future plans to expand studies related to seagrass and their resilience and adaptation to climate change in the region, as well as rolling out restoration guidelines tailored for the restoration of genetically diverse and resilient local species.
Ahmed Al Hashmi, Executive Director of the Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector, said: “EAD being selected to host the workshop is a culmination of its efforts in the field of seagrass conservation and since 2001, we have been using a variety of survey methods. The mapped extent of the emirate’s seagrass area is well over 3,000 square kilometres accounting for over 98 percent of the seagrass area in the United Arab Emirates with the main concentrations found around Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve and Al Yasat Marine Protected Area.
“In Abu Dhabi’s waters, seagrass comprise three main habitat-forming species. They are distributed over a range of various sediment types, tidal zones and depth gradients of inshore water and both monospecific as well as mixed species meadows are found in the emirate. Today, we are exploring innovative solutions to enhance the monitoring, restoration, and overall conservation of these meadows. By testing up-to-date sonars, cameras and sensors and integrating AI technologies, that is validated by the long-standing knowledge and the extensive data and information available at EAD, we aim to achieve significant advancements in this field.
“The three seagrass species of Abu Dhabi are vital for biodiversity. They support more than 3,000 dugongs – the worlds’ second-largest population – and over 4,000 green turtles. They also provide nursery habitats for a range of commercially important fish, pearl oysters, shrimps, and various other species that use them for food, shelter, and growth. They are very resilient and can tolerate extreme fluctuations of marine water temperatures.”
Seagrass is found in the shallow waters of 159 countries on six continents, from the tropics to temperate systems and can live entirely submerged in seawater. While covering only 0.1 per cent of the ocean floor, seagrass sediments store up to 18 per cent of oceanic blue carbon, making it one of the world’s most efficient carbon stores.
