The construction of artificial habitats in the coral waters of Kish began
The head of the Kish Free Zone Environment Department said: “This department, with the help of the private sector to reduce the pressure on natural coral habitats, started creating artificial ecosystems and coral reproduction in the island’s waters.” Maryam Mohammadi told reporters on Saturday. : The corals of Kish Island have a high possibility of natural restoration and this issue doubles the importance of protecting the lost habitats. Therefore, the Environment Department of the Kish Free Zone Organization has several programs for the protection and restoration of habitats on its agenda. have given.
He added: “Reducing the pressure on natural habitats is one of the important priorities of the Department of Environment. During the past years, various studies, executive, research and conservation measures have been carried out in this field to protect the marine ecosystem of Kish.”
Mohammadi added: Conducting feasibility studies for creating artificial habitats in different parts of the island in the form of a student thesis, conducting a marine ecology project on the shores of Kish and preparing an illustrated guide to the marine fauna and flora of Kish, Hindurabi, Farvar and Little Farvar in collaboration with the National Institute Oceanography, conducting studies to determine the range of tourism of coral sites and providing a management model in collaboration with Dr. Mohammad Reza Shokri, is part of the study and research activities in recent years in the field of Kish environment.
He reminded: creating artificial habitats by constructing and installing 2 stages of 6 underwater sculptures in the east of the island, planting and cutting coral on 500 concrete slabs and establishing it in five points of Kish coastal waters, building artificial habitats with Natural materials with a volume of one thousand tons in a distance of 300 meters, installation of 130 reef wings in the waters around Kish Island is one of the most important executive measures of the Kish Environment Department in the field of construction and restoration of coral ecosystem and restoration of aquatic reserves.
The head of Kish Free Zone Environment Department added: “Stating that the coral ecosystem is the most important and most productive marine ecosystem of Kish”, he said: “The coral ecosystem includes a large number of aquatic animals in different stages of life and is an important support in the island’s tourism industry.” Becomes.
He added: “The presence of corals with an economic value of $ 47,000 per square meter in the island’s waters, in addition to creating transparency and beauty of the beaches, is the most important factor in attracting tourists and the life of fish and sea turtles depends on them.”
Mohammadi reminded: in the last 2 decades, the occurrence of frequent bleaching phenomena, due to the phenomenon of global warming, natural phenomena and its intensification due to development and tourism activities, led to the destruction of a significant part of corals. It has become an island, but past experience has shown that coral ecosystems are well adapted to self-healing and can be regenerated.
He added: “Today, in most parts of the world, various methods are used, including the restoration of coral reefs, according to the method of reproduction (sexual reproduction and asexual reproduction) to repair and rebuild degraded coral ecosystems, which creates artificial habitat.” And new diving sites will reduce the pressures of tourist congestion on natural coral reefs and help protect and rebuild them as much as possible.
In order to carry out conservation activities, the Kish Environment Department inaugurated the densest coral site in the southeast of the island called Big Coral in the Simorgh area, which was very vulnerable due to its proximity to the coast and its shallow depth. It was dedicated to diving and was introduced as the largest marine protected area in the country along more than 3,000 meters of coastline.
Prohibition of handing over new marine clubs according to the results of the project “Determining the range of coral sites and preparing an optimal management model”, supporting marine environment lovers and activists and coordinating with the social deputy to register a non-governmental organization in the field of marine environment. The actions of the Kish Island Environment Department.