Effects of Land Reclamation on Marine Life on Doha Coastal Region, State of Qatar
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EFFECTS OF LAND RECLAMATION ON MARINE LIFE ON DOHA COASTAL REGION, STATE OF QATAR 1ALI AL-NAIMI, 2GEORGE KARANI, 3JOHN LITTLEWOOD 1Cardiff School of Health Sciences, 2 Cardiff School of Art & Design, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Wales, UK Email:[email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Abstract: Gaining land from water bodies, sea, coastal or shores wetlands is called Land reclamation. Due to the need of dry land for agricultural purposes, industrial use, urban development or port expansions some countries use this method of land fill to achieve its requirements. Land reclamation could have significant adverse impact upon marine environment. Such activities normally take place along the coastline and primarily affect coastal and marine habitats close to the shore, for example, coral reefs, estuaries, marshes and saline habitats, as well as species that occur in these habitats, e.g. planktons, fish, shrimps and turtles.The aim of the study is to evaluate using literature review, qualitative and quantitative methods, the effects of land reclamation on marine environment in Doha and to develop a Doha Marine environment benchmark, among six key stakeholder groups, to mitigate the impacts of land reclamation.The current work has demonstrated that land reclamation has had a great effect upon the marine environment in general and specifically on marine life and this impact has been noticed clearly in the stakeholder’s reviews. There was a general feeling among participants that although land reclamation has economic benefits it has on the other hand disadvantages on the marine environment. Keywords: Doha, Land Reclamation, Marine Environment, Marine Habitat, Qatar, Sediment. I. INTRODUCTION on marine environments and cite the main causes as changing the evolution and hydrology of the Gaining land from bodies of water, the ocean and shoreline; the degradation of water and soil quality; coastal wetlands and shores is referred to as land the alteration of microbial communities; the progress reclamation [1]-[2]. Due to the need for dry land for of vegetation and benthic species; fisheries, and agriculture, industry, urbanization and the expansion impaired functioning of ecosystems. It must also be of ports, some countries use landfill to meet their noted here that the policy-makers in most countries requirements. This process of reclamation has involved in gaining land from the sea, such as Qatar, continued into the 21st century in Qatar, beginning in are aware of the considerable number of studies that the 1970s, with the formation of new land in water have thoroughly investigated the environmental becoming the basis for large-scale reclamation impact of land reclamation. projects in urban development, airport construction, There are examples of negative impacts, from land industrial expansion, etc. [3]. reclamation, upon environments in the Netherlands, However, it should not be ignored that land North America [4], Bahrain [6], Singapore[7], reclamation can have a significant adverse impact Malaysia [8]and Hong Kong [9]. upon marine environments. Such activities normally take place along the coastline and primarily affect What is worthy of attention in this research project is coastal and marine habitats close to the shore; for the knowledge that land reclamation in Qatar can example, coral reefs, estuaries, marshes and saline compromise the need to preserve nature and protect habitats, as well as impacting on the various species its shores, in exchange for more urban space. It is found in these habitats, such as plankton, fish, undeniable that hi-tech dredging equipment could shrimps and turtles. In fact, marine habitats are wreak havoc in Qatar’s marine environment. permanently lost where land is reclaimed from the sea However, government authorities in the majority of and the effects also include increased turbidity, with countries convinced of the need for land reclamation changes to seabed habitats and sedimentary structures to fulfil industrial and residential purposes have been [4], [2]. Notwithstanding the negative implications, seduced by the fact that it appears less expensive than however, land reclamation is one of the most harnessing existing land. widespread human activities threatening coastal territories worldwide, mainly in Asia and Europe [3]. To all intents and purposes, the studies and literature According to [5], there are different techniques reviewed for the current research project are therefore involved in land reclamation processes, especially derived from empirically-base scientific papers, when planning large-scale projects. These methods which can delineate the physical and social include underwater explosion for the removal of repercussions of land reclamation. [10] claims that sediment, rock-dumping techniques and silt dredging. drastic man-made alterations to coastal areas can lead All these methods can lead to various types of to irreparable ecological damage. The cumulative undesirable impact upon marine habitats; the effects impact of reclamation is known to be associated with of which will depend on the reclamation techniques the dredging of ecologically important marine used [5]. [3] reviewed the impact of land reclamation environments. Thus, the current inquiry on land Proceedings of ISER 57th International Conference, Dubai, UAE, 1st -2nd June 2017 54 Effects of Land Reclamation on Marine Life on Doha Coastal Region, State of Qatar reclamation seeks to identify the ecological II. LAND RECLAMATION consequences for Qatar in particular. Large-scale reclamation is viewed as having a huge 2.1. In the Gulf potential impact on all facets of Qatar’s coastline. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) was [11]stress that the estimated cost of destroying the established in 1981, comprising the countries located marine ecosystem is significantly greater than the in the Arabian Gulf or the 'Gulf' (previously, the internal cost of reclamation activities. Awareness of Persian Gulf). These consist of Qatar, Bahrain, the ecological damage associated with land Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates reclamation could therefore lead to greater foresight (UAE) and Kuwait. Figure 1. and better informed strategies for stakeholders and decision-makers, thus promoting the notion of the sustainable use of marine resources. The context of the problem can thus be specified as the ecological impact of land reclamation, with the precise study objectives being related to a logically structured inquiry, aimed at responding to the causes of environmental degradation, the deleterious effects on Figure 1. Arabian Gulf Countries biodiversity in a marine habitat, and governmental policies on coastal preservation and conservation. Throughout the past two decades, the Gulf region has Indeed, the detrimental effects of land reclamation on witnessed extensive dredging and land reclamation marine ecology may be assumed. activities in coastal and marine areas. However, there is currently insufficient data concerning the impact of In this inquiry on Doha’s land reclamation activities dredging and reclamation on the Gulf’s marine in coastal areas, the researcher believes that it is ecosystems. Nevertheless, approximately 40% of the necessary to explore and describe the phenomena coastline in some Gulf countries is in the course of surrounding land reclamation. The apparent lack of development, thus jeopardizing the wildlife and theory or previous academic research on Doha’s biodiversity of habitats. coastal land reclamation could lead to inaccurate, Below are listed some of the mega-land reclamation incorrect, or biased findings. This being the case, it is projects in GCC countries: imperative to determine how the present study relates 1. For the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai (the UAE),10 to other investigations conducted along Doha’s million cubic metres of rock and 186.5 million coastline. The truth of the matter is that only a cubic metres of sand were used to build these relative handful of inquiries (such as the US$12 billion artificial islands, [12]. Environmental Studies Centre: 2014, Qatar 2. Bahrain has been a pioneer of land reclamation University and Texas A&M University) have among the GCC countries. An estimated 80% of investigated the environmental issues associated with its coastline has been exposed in the process, the present topic. Despite the scarcity of information [13]. in the domain of land reclamation in Doha’s coastal 3. In Kuwait, there are no official published areas, this study seeks to delve into the direct impact reports on massive land reclamation projects. of reclamation on the environment. In truth, other However, the Al Zour Refinery Project, GCC countries, like Saudi Arabia, the UAE and launched in 2014 and forecast for completion in Bahrain are also caught in never-ending land 2019 is considered to be the largest land reclamation incentives. These countries, like Qatar, reclamation project so far. 65 million cubic claim that billions of dollars have been invested in metres of sand and major top soil improvement modern infrastructural projects, but the respective covering an area of 1,320 ha have been policy-makers are not mindful of ecological anticipated for this oil-refining plant. The Al considerations. ZourRefinery Project will be one of the largest oil refinery projects in the region, [14]. Clearly, without thorough knowledge of the impact of 4. In Saudi Arabia, most of the land reclamation or reclamation on marine and terrestrial environments, landfill