Marawah becomes first biosphere reserve in the UAE

This announcement makes Marawah the first Biosphere Reserve in the UAE.

The Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve, which is managed by EAD and situated west of Abu Dhabi island, is home to important marine and coastal ecosystems including sea grass beds, coral reefs and mangroves. The Reserve also hosts 60% of the second largest population of dugongs in the world. Marawah is also of great cultural and archaeological significance in the UAE as more than 20 sites dating back to the Stone Age have been discovered on its various islands.

This announcement followed a meeting of the Bureau of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France in September 2007.

During the meeting, over 34 new biosphere reserve proposals for nomination as biosphere reserves under the MAB program were examined. Marawah as well as 22 other new reserve sites in 18 countries were added to its global network bringing the total number of biosphere reserves around the world to 529 in 105 countries.

Other reserves added to the global network, include Al Reem in Qatar and Jabal Al Rihane in Lebanon. During the meeting, Mr. Thabit Zahran Al Abdessalaam, Director of Marine Environment Research Center of the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi delivered a presentation on Marawah. Ghalia Humaidan, Counselor of the UAE Delegation at UNESCO, also attended the meetings.

What is the Biosphere Reserve concept?

It provides context-specific opportunities to combine scientific knowledge and governance modalities to reduce biodiversity loss; improve livelihoods; enhance social, economic and cultural conditions for environmental sustainability. Biosphere reserves can also serve as learning sites for the public.

More on Marawah

•It is the largest Marine Protected Area in the Arabian Gulf.
•Was established in 2001 as a protected area to preserve the natural diversity and quality of its coastal and marine environment for the economic, social, scientific and cultural benefit of the people of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the UAE.
•Marawah marine area is situated west of Abu Dhabi Island. It is surrounded by Abu Al Abyad Island from the east, Seir Bani Yas Island from the west, a highly coastal line from the south, and Jarnain Island from the north. There are several islands in the area, mainly: Marawah, Bu Tinah, Al Bazzm Al Gharbi, Jenanah, and Umm Umeim.
•The overall area of the Marawah MPA is 4255 km2. It includes the islands as well as the shallow area including: Al Bazzm Al Gharbi, Al Fiyay, Marawah, Bu Tinah, Halat Heil, Halat Mubarraz, Umm Umeim, Jenanah and Salaha.
•Bottlenose and Humpback dolphins are present in the surrounding waters.
•4 species of marine turtles especially the Green Turtle and the Hawksbill Turtle. The coasts of the marine protected area are considered as prospective beaches for the nesting of marine turtles.
•More than 70 species of fish and coral reefs that are of environmental and economical importance to the country.
•One of the sites on the island has produced the oldest dates yet recorded for the UAE, dating back to over 7,000 years ago, in the Late Stone Age.
•There are sites from the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, the Late pre-Islamic period and the Islamic period, covering the whole span of human occupation of the UAE. No other area in the country has such a full record.
•A large Islamic graveyard, with over 60 burials, and an important fragment of pottery from the Late Stone Age has been discovered. This pottery is of a type made in southern Iraq, which was manufactured around 7000 years ago. Ubaid pottery has also been found on three other Abu Dhabi islands: Dalma, Ghagha and Al Aryam, as well as in the northern emirates, and provides early evidence of the UAE's tradition of maritime trade.
•More than 800 UAE national families live along the Protected Area's coastal zone and 107 families live on its islands. Some of these families have traditional rights to fish in the fishing grounds of the MPA. The MMPA is considered the daily subsistence of marine source of protein for these families. It supports the annual production of 9700mt of fish biomass. The total estimated annual catch is about 1700mt, of which some 500mt representing 5% of the total catch in Abu Dhabi waters were used for commercial purposes of more than AED 3.5 million (about 1 million US$).