The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) has retrieved and removed some fishing nets and cages stuck at one of the northern marine area, which could destroy the coral reefs and their marine life.
Further, as part of its continuous efforts to maintain marine biodiversity, the teams concerned tat MoECC has removed fishing nets kept to catch king fish, from an area in the north of the country in violation of the applicable laws and regulations.
The MoECC had earlier renewed its annual ban on catching king fish throughout the local waters using fishing nets, from August 15 until October 15. The ban, meant to enhance the local stock of king fish by allowing it to naturally grow and breed, also stipulates strict penalties for the violators.
The MoECC spotted a number of tanker drivers emptying their cargo of sanitary drainage water at undesignated areas in the open outskirts of the country. The Wildlife Protection Department has taken legal action against the violators. Such violations fall under Law no 30 for 2002 regarding environment protection.
The MoECC has been active in monitoring the status of environment protection across the country, including the natural meadows, sand dunes, deserts and the natural reserves and protected areas. The protection extends to the endangered species of animals, birds and plants through various projects to guarantee their breeding. There are wildlife inspection teams with highly qualified personnel that maintain regular and surprise patrols, especially on the lookout for violators and intruders.
Recently, MoECC's Wildlife Development Department concluded a process of surveying 1,273 wild meadows across the different areas of the country, by recording the plant species and noting the potential dangers threatening their growth and survival.
Some of these meadows were completely closed for the public to enhance the protection of some rare and endangered varieties of plants and fauna, while others were partially closed to allow them to regrow. There is also a plan by the department to restore 100 wild meadows within the next five years.
The MoECC has successfully planted 17,463 seedlings of wild plants at a number of these restored wild meadows, in addition to transplanting 4,980 wild trees from construction project sites to the designated meadows.
The MoECC also has made great success in the hawksbill turtles protection project and there are ongoing efforts to combat the invasive myna bird.
