The campaign was conducted in cooperation with the Special Naval Forces, Environment Directorate of the Qatari Armed Forces, and other entities.
Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC), represented by the Marine Protection Department and the Natural Reserves Department, has implemented a comprehensive campaign to clean the Umm Al Sheif Marine Reserve.
The drive was launched on the occasion of Qatar Environment Day, which is held under the theme “Our Environment... Sustainable Giving”, to remove waste and enhance its efforts to protect the marine environment and preserve biodiversity.
The campaign was conducted in cooperation with the Special Naval Forces and the Environment Directorate of the Qatari Armed Forces at the Ministry of Defense, the General Directorate of Coasts and Borders Security at the Ministry of Interior, the General Cleanliness Department at the Ministry of Municipality and ‘Hiwash’ Company.
This is within the framework of ongoing efforts to protect the country’s natural reserves and to educate marine area visitors about the need to avoid behaviours that harm the marine environment, especially the random dumping of waste.
The Ministry continues to implement its plans for enhancing environmental sustainability, through periodic awareness and cleaning campaigns, to ensure that wildlife continues to play its vital role in maintaining environmental balance.
On this occasion, Mohammed Al Khanji, Director of the Marine Protection Department at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, stressed that the launch of the Umm Al Sheif Marine Reserve cleaning campaign comes within the framework of the Ministry’s efforts to preserve the marine environment and enhance its sustainability.
He said that the drive coincided with the celebration of Qatar Environment Day, which falls on February 26 of each year.
Al Khanji said the campaign aims to remove marine waste and maintain the environmental balance in natural areas rich in biodiversity, noting that these efforts reflect Qatar’s commitment to protecting its marine resources, especially after declaring Umm Al Sheif as a marine reserve.
He noted that the Ministry continues to implement environmental monitoring programmes and conduct scientific studies to ensure the sustainability of marine ecosystems.
Al Khanji noted that the recent discovery of a new type of soft coral reef in the reserve confirms its importance as a major site for preserving biodiversity and supporting wildlife.
He said that the cleaning campaign was carried out with the participation of several volunteer teams, in a step that reflects the importance of concerted community efforts to preserve the marine environment.
Al Khanji stressed that the Ministry continues to implement its strategies for protecting the marine environment and reducing negative environmental impacts, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 and the state’s commitments in protecting biodiversity.
