Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates is strengthening its commitment to marine conservation through large-scale environmental initiatives aimed at protecting and expanding its vital coral reef ecosystems to promote biodiversity and sustainability.
Coral reefs serve as crucial habitats, offering food, shelter, and protection for marine species, supporting fisheries, shielding coastlines from erosion, and boosting tourism and recreation industries.
In line with its focus on nature-based solutions, the UAE has announced major reef restoration projects to build ecological resilience and enhance biodiversity. In Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Al Dhafra Region and Chair of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), has set a goal to cultivate over 4 million coral colonies by 2030, covering more than 900 hectares — claimed to be the world’s largest such initiative.
Earlier this month, the EAD launched the “Abu Dhabi Coral Garden initiative,” the largest of its kind in the Middle East. This project plans to deploy 40,000 eco-friendly reef structures across 1,200 square kilometers of coastal and deep-sea waters, aiming to attract three times more marine life than natural reefs and potentially produce over five million kilograms of fish annually.
Other emirates are also engaging in reef restoration efforts. Sharjah has initiated a pilot project in Khorfakkan utilizing artificial reef caves to support fish habitats, while Dubai has begun deploying the first phase of its Dubai Reef project, which will install 20,000 reef modules over 600 square kilometers of marine area over three years.
The UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment leads coral restoration activities nationwide, working with local authorities. These efforts include research to cultivate 24 resilient coral species and a national reef mapping project that has identified 210 sites supporting more than 55 coral species.
Previous successful projects include establishing coral gardens in Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Qaiwain, and Ajman, along with ongoing collaboration with Fujairah Adventures to plant 1.5 million coral colonies along the eastern coast.