The United Arab Emirates is ramping up efforts to restore and expand its coral reefs in what is being called the world’s most ambitious marine conservation project.
Aimed at safeguarding biodiversity and ensuring long-term sustainability, the initiative will see millions of coral colonies cultivated and thousands of artificial reef structures deployed across the nation’s waters.
In Abu Dhabi, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan has directed the cultivation of over 4 million coral colonies by 2030, covering more than 900 hectares. The project, spearheaded by the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), is set to become the largest coral restoration programme globally.
EAD has also launched the Abu Dhabi Coral Garden initiative—the largest in the Middle East—which will deploy 40,000 eco-friendly reef structures across 1,200 square kilometres. These structures are designed to attract marine life at three times the rate of natural reefs and are expected to generate over five million kilogrammes of fish annually.
Other emirates are rolling out similar programmes. Sharjah has introduced artificial reef caves in Khorfakkan, while Dubai’s DUBAI REEF project aims to install 20,000 reef modules across 600 square kilometres over the next three years.
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment is coordinating nationwide coral restoration, including research on 24 resilient coral species and a national reef mapping initiative that has identified 210 reef sites.
Ongoing efforts in Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Qaiwain, and Ajman have established coral gardens, while a long-term partnership with Fujairah Adventures is working to plant 1.5 million coral colonies along the eastern coastline.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
