Muscat – The Quriyat Divers, in cooperation with Blue Water Company and Fisheries Development Oman, organised a coral reefs clean-up campaign in Quriyat on December 1. Five divers participated in the clean-up activity.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, Juma Khamis al Amri, head of Quriyat Divers, said, “The clean-up was held in the Al Hdab area in the wilayat of Quriyat. Divers worked from 10am to 12:30pm at depths of 13m and removed 200kg of fishing nets.”

Besides the clean-up activity, according to Amri, the initiative also aimed at spreading awareness on preserving coral reefs from pollutants and remnants of fishing equipment, preventing the dumping of waste, and encouraging volunteerism among communities.

“Such campaigns are ideal opportunities to make a positive change, serving the marine environment by removing marine debris that defile natural beauty. Frequent cleaning activities of the marine environment contribute to increasing fish production, and preserving endangered species,” Amri said.

He added that the biggest challenge that divers face while carrying out marine cleaning activities come from discarded fishing nets, which are also responsible for the deaths of many marine creatures.

The clean-up activity on December 1 was part of Quriyat Divers’ series of campaigns in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, the Environment Authority and the Coast Guard. To date 19 clean-up activities have been held. On December 15 and 16, thirteen members of the team will conduct a clean-up activity in the Ashkhara area of South Sharqiyah in cooperation with Oman Fishermen’s Association.

Later in the month on December 20, the Quriyat Divers will hold another coral reefs clean-up campaign in the Daymaniyat Islands in cooperation with the Environment Authority.