The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) announced it will organise the Qatar whale shark conservation forum 2023, in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), on May 22, at the Aquatic and Fisheries Research Center in Ras MatBakh.
The forum is the first of its kind in the Middle East region concerned with the whale shark, bringing together a number of experts, specialists, and researchers in the field of marine environment, marine biology, and whale sharks, from Qatar and beyond.
Director of the Wildlife Development Department at MoECC, chairman of the forum's organising committee, Mohamed Ahmed al-Khanji, stated that discussions will tackle the threats facing whale sharks in the Gulf region, such as the practice of by-catching and habitat destruction, as well as discuss the life cycle of whale sharks, so as to provide more recommendations shared with Unesco and regional countries in order to protect the species and marine environment in general.
Al Khanji noted that whale sharks gather in Qatari territorial waters in very large numbers and continue for long periods extending from April to October annually during its migration. This prompted MoECC to study wale sharks and their behaviour, count their numbers, record their genetic imprint and identify their dietary routines.
He also pointed out that whale sharks are not invasive or predatory creatures and do not in any way affect the fish wealth of the region.
MoECC Public Relations Director Farhoud Hadi al-Hajri said the Qatar whale shark conservation forum 2023 is sponsored by Qatar Airways and the Seashore Group. (QNA)
