A volunteer dive team in Kuwait has removed around 250kg of abandoned fishing nets from a coral reef in the Arifjan marine area, freeing trapped marine life and reducing the threat to the underwater environment.
Image used for illustrative purposes/By: Sakis Lazarides/iStock
According to Deeper Blue, the Kuwait Dive Team carried out the operation at an average depth of 12m, clearing netting that covered an estimated 30 square metres of seabed.
Removing a threat to marine life
Discarded fishing nets, often called ghost nets, can continue trapping and killing marine animals long after they have been lost or abandoned at sea. They can also damage coral reefs by covering fragile formations, scraping against coral and disrupting the light needed to support reef ecosystems.
The nets recovered at Arifjan posed an additional risk to passing boats, with abandoned fishing gear capable of becoming entangled in boat engines and creating navigational hazards.
Protecting Kuwait’s coral reefs
Arifjan is a popular area for commercial fishing and recreational scuba diving, with coral patches and a nearby shipwreck that is around 40 years old.
Alongside underwater cleanups, the Kuwait Dive Team has installed environmentally friendly mooring buoys to help prevent boats from dropping anchors onto living coral. Anchoring can break coral structures and damage the habitats that support marine life.
The team operates under Kuwait’s Environmental Voluntary Foundation, which has been involved in environmental conservation initiatives since 1986. Its work includes marine cleanups and underwater salvage projects, including efforts to remove debris from Kuwait Bay.
Further reef assessments planned
Following the latest removal, the team plans to release a scientific assessment of the area, documenting coral growth and overall reef health.
Waleed Al-Fadhel, leader of the Kuwait Dive Team, said the abandoned nets threatened both the reef and the marine life around it. Removing the gear also reduced the risk of fishing nets becoming caught in boat engines or creating other navigational hazards.
The team has encouraged fishermen, divers and boaters to report abandoned or entangled fishing gear to the dive team, the Coast Guard or relevant environmental authorities.
Ghost gear removal is one way conservation groups can limit the damage caused by discarded fishing equipment, helping protect marine habitats and the wildlife that depends on them.
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