* Visits whale shark congregation areas near Al Shaheen field
HE the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser al-Thani on Tuesday underlined the importance of safeguarding the biodiversity of Qatar and the efforts exerted by the ministry to achieve environmental sustainability.
Such efforts included the conservation of endangered species, he said.
During an inspection visit to the floating cage fish-farming site owned by Al Qamra Holding Group, HE the Minister was briefed on the progress of this project.
Such efforts included the conservation of endangered species, he said.
During an inspection visit to the floating cage fish-farming site owned by Al Qamra Holding Group, HE the Minister was briefed on the progress of this project.
HE Sheikh Dr Faleh and a host of officials took part in a field trip organised by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) to the whale sharks congregation areas in Al Shaheen field, north Qatar, to get familiarised with the concerted efforts made there to protect them.
The ministry plans to protect the whale sharks by conducting the essential studies and tagging them with electronic chips and tracking numbers to further keep data of the whale sharks passing through Qatar's waters, the minister said.
The officials took measurements of some whale sharks, and collected samples beside conducting some studies, as well as watching a group of whales of different sizes.
The ministry's efforts to protect whale sharks began in 2011. A study conducted identified over 420 whale sharks, and researchers installed tracking devices on some of them, besides studying their genetic fingerprint.
The MoECC is the only entity authorised to issue the necessary clearances to visit whale shark congregation zones in co-ordination with the authorities concerned in Qatar.
Accordingly, the ministry has called on anybody wishing to visit these sites to primarily coordinate with the ministry, prior to visiting any of these areas, with a view to safeguarding these endangered species.
Whale sharks have been designated one of the endangered species according to International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They feed on marine plankton and many shelter in Qatari territorial waters during the period between May and October, forming one of the largest congregations of these animals worldwide.
