Dubai: Imagine swimming in a beach with attractive corals and colourful sea creatures. What a beautiful ‘beachcapade’. But what if it’s filled with trash and debris? Beachgoers are to blame for leaving behind waste that washes ashore at the beaches in Dubai.
The Dubai Municipality decided to take action and participated in the International Coastal Cleanup day this year. It’s a day that encourages residents to remove trash and debris from the beaches. The event was held on October 1 and 2 at Jebel Ali Marine Sanctuary.
Michelle Cantillana, president of the Filipino Scuba Divers Club (FSDC), told Gulf News: “There were 35 volunteers from the FSDC who participated in the underwater cleanup in addition to the volunteers from Dubai Municipality, the Emirates Marine Environmental Group and Khidmah. It was an overwhelming experience for divers as this was the first time they dove in that area and did their part in saving marine life.”
They were on the beach for five hours and collected mostly plastic bottles, aluminium cans and plastic bags, which were stuck underwater.
“They are water pollutants and very dangerous to sea creatures as they tend to eat the fragments of plastics, which can choke them or cause indigestion, leading to the death of the marine species, which might go extinct,” Cantillana said.
So when you go for a picnic at the beach, remember marine life. Help preserve it and clean up before you leave, to allow your children to be able to see the beauty of the sea, vibrant coral reefs and frolicking fish.
Aisha Al Muhairi, section head of the Environment department at the Dubai Municipality, told Gulf News:
“It is our first time, participating in the International Coastal Clean Up campaign this year, and we are planning to do this every year. We encourage the residents of Dubai to participate in the management and conservation of our protected areas, such as the Jebel Ali Marine Sanctuary. This sanctuary is the last coastal area in Dubai, where the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle nests, as well as a feeding area of the endangered green sea turtle. This sanctuary is also a migratory pathway of the dugong, classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is also a stopover for migratory birds during winter.
“These salient points make the sanctuary very important and it should be free from garbage and other materials that would be harmful to coastal and marine creatures. During this campaign, we collected 1.2 tonnes of garbage.
“Beachgoers and the public should be more responsible in the way they handle their trash. We want them to participate in the conservation of our natural resources and ensure a safe and clean marine environment.
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