Protecting and managing the Arabian Gulf: Past, present and future

The Arabian Gulf (also known as Persian Gulf and ROPME Sea) represents an extremely important economic, political and strategic aquatic resource. Although the Gulf region is known world wide for its oil-gas deposits and production, very little is known about its ecosystem health, food web dynamics, fisheries, biodiversity and sustainability. The present study reviews and highlights the major anthropogenic stressors which threaten the marine and coastal ecosystems of the Gulf. The Arabian Gulf environment lacks the holistic, ecosystem-based research and monitoring that have been conducted in other marine ecosystems. There is a need for multi-disciplinary, multi-trophic and multi-agency international investigations including the application of emerging technology. Such an integrated strategy is urgently needed to save the rapidly changing marine ecosystems from the impact of rapid and vigorous coastal development across the entire Gulf region. The necessity of developing and implementing ecosystem health agreements between the various riparian countries is emphasized for expeditious protection, conservation and management of this precious but threatened natural heritage.

[1]  M. Munawar,et al.  A Comparative Review of Phytoplankton and Primary Production in the Laurentian Great Lakes , 1974 .

[2]  M. Munawar,et al.  Aquatic ecosystem health of the Arabian Gulf:: Status and research needs , 2002 .

[3]  J. Hunter.  Aspects of the Dynamics of the Residual Circulation of the Arabian Gulf , 1983 .

[4]  A. Price,et al.  Legal and institutional frameworks , 2002 .

[5]  Corrado Sommariva,et al.  Increase in water production in UAE , 2001 .

[6]  T. Kana.  RECLAIMING THE COAST FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT LESSONS FROM ARABIA , 2003 .

[7]  D. Jones,et al.  Contributed Article, A review of the impacts of aquaculture and artificial waterways upon coastal ecosystems in the Gulf (Arabian/Persian) including a case study demonstrating how future management may resolve these impacts , 2005 .

[8]  M. Munawar,et al.  The Gulf Ecosystem Health and Sustainability , 2002 .

[9]  F. Blasco,et al.  Mangroves of the United Arab Emirates: ecotypic diversity in cuticular waxes at the bioclimatic extreme , 1999 .

[10]  Mohammed M.A. Shriadah,et al.  Impacts of an oil spill on the marine environment of the United Arab Emirates along the Gulf of Oman , 1998 .

[11]  R. M. Reynolds.  Physical oceanography of the Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman—Results from the Mt Mitchell expedition , 1993 .

[12]  R. Reynolds.  Meteorology and climate , 2002 .

[13]  J. Vallentyne.  Biospheric foundations of the ecosystem approach to environmental management , 1993 .