Stakeholder Views on Land Reclamation and Marine Environment in Doha, Qatar

Due to the ever-increasing necessity of dry land for agricultural, industrial, urban development or port expansions, some countries use land reclamation methods to gain land from sea. Land reclamation activities normally take place along the coastline and primarily affect coastal and marine habitats close to the shore. The aim of the study is to evaluate using literature, remote sensing data and participatory tools that promote a comprehensive examination of the perceptions held by key stakeholder groups, the effects of land reclamation on marine environment in Doha and develop a Doha marine shared conceptual model to mitigate the impacts of land reclamation. Critical analysis of the findings revealed the need for a strategic intervention. Accordingly, an action plan framework developed with the aim of preserving the marine environment. The framework is divided to three timescalesshort, medium and long termto easily map on to Government projects and long-term vision in a realistic and achievable manner. Although the number of participants limits this study, it reports for the first-time valuable information on the effects of land reclamation activities from the viewpoint of stakeholders that are involved in activities along the Doha coastal area.