By Sidi Mohamed
DOHA: The Ministry of Environment is gearing up to count whale sharks in Al Shaheen Oilfield by taking aerial photos from a helicopter, a senior official has said.
If the number of whale sharks crosses 400, it will be the highest in the world, said Mohamed Al Jaidah, Head, Whale Shark Research Project.
The project has documented since its launch in 2010 some 400 whale sharks, which gather every year in the oilfield, Al Jaidah said on the sidelines of the Fourth International Whale Sharks Conference which opened at Grand Hyatt Doha yesterday.
Sheikh Dr. Faleh bin Nasser Al Thani, Assistant Undersecretary of Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources, inaugurated the three-day event and said: “The hosting of the conference is in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, which considers the environment one of its main pillars.” He hoped that the event achieves its goals through exchanging ideas and information.
The conference is attended by officials from the ministry and Maersk Oil, some 75 scientists from 28 countries, including the US, Australia, Brazil, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Singapore and Taiwan.
Abdulrahman Al Emadi, Head, Maersk Oil Research and Technology Centre, praised the centre’s role in supporting environmental and marine life.
Al Jaidah said the forum aims to enhance international cooperation in preserving whale sharks, put plans in place to protect them and exchange ideas and experiences in the field.
Steffen Back, Environmental Team Lead at the centre, told The Peninsula that the highest number of whale sharks come to Al Shaheen in summer from May to September to feed on tuna eggs and the second thing that attracts whale sharks is the industrial coral reefs around the 33 oil platforms operated by Maersk.
He said the corals started to grow in the platforms and other species of small and big fish came which created artificial reefs, resulting in a rich biodiversity. The deepest part in Al Shaheen oilfield is 60m to 70m and its temperature is suitable for whale shark in May and September, he said.
On the surface the temperature could reach 30-35 degrees Celsius and 20-22 degrees as the water goes deeper in the summer. In winter, whale sharks are never seen, said Back. The average length of a whale shark is between eight and nine metres and weighs about 30 tonnes.
The conference is being held for the first time outside the US, and hosted by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, in collaboration with Maersk Oil Research and Technology Centre.
The Peninsula
