KUWAIT, Jan 11 (KUNA) -- The Kuwait Dive Team, affiliated with the Environmental Voluntary Foundation, has launched a large-scale environmental campaign to clean and rehabilitate Kuwait Bay, aiming to remove plastic waste, abandoned fishing nets, wooden debris and sunken vessels, with the participation of government entities and a group of volunteers.
In remarks to KUNA, Head of the team Waleed Al-Fadhil said that the initiative comes as an urgent response to the growing quantities of waste carried into the bay through rainwater drains, in addition to repeated encroachments on the coastal environment.
Al-Fadhil noted these pollutants pose a direct threat to the bay's unique marine ecosystem, adding that the team has prepared four boats, transport vehicles and bulldozers to remove the waste, in addition to diving equipment, marine navigation devices and cleaning tools.
He affirmed that the campaign gains added importance as it coincides with the approach of spring, stressing that Kuwait Bay is a strategic global stopover for thousands of migratory birds and a vital natural nursery for fish and shrimp spawning, making its protection essential for food security and environmental balance.
Al-Fadhil noted that the team, in cooperation with Jahra Natural Reserve Management at the Environment Public Authority, removed large quantities of abandoned fishing nets and plastic waste from the reserve's coastline, in addition to clearing tons of debris from the shores of Ashairij and Doha.
He announced that the next phase of the plan will include intensive cleanup operations at Umm Al-Nammal Island, Al-Subiya area, the Free Zone coastline and the hospital district, calling on citizens and residents to play an oversight role and report any observed environmental violations.
Al-Fadhil also urged sea-goers and nature enthusiasts to protect wildlife and refrain from disturbing migratory birds at their resting sites, stressing the need to comply with fishing bans inside the bay.
He warned against the use of prohibited fishing nets that turn into so-called "ghost nets," which devastate fish stocks and damage the seabed for years, calling for urgent action to remove abandoned and anchored vessels in the Ashairij area due to their negative impact on the landscape, navigation safety, coastal soil and pollution levels.
Al-Fadhil thanked the supporting government entities, emphasizing that coordinated institutional and community efforts are the only way to preserve Kuwait Bay as a national environmental heritage for future generations. (end) zhr.aa