Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, visited the marine research vessel “Zion” developed by the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi. The first research vessel in the state.
During the visit, the high officials were briefed about the modern scientific instruments and laboratories on board the ship.
His Highness met with an Emirati task force overseeing the implementation of the Commission’s “Ocean World Discovery” project, which aims to monitor and protect marine biodiversity, and a team of scientists and researchers in marine life. The effects of climate change contribute to strengthening national efforts in the field of marine science by providing a reliable and advanced scientific platform that meets the needs of marine research within and outside the country.
During the tour, Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Managing Director of the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi, and Dr. Sheikha Salem Al Taheri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi, accompanied the trip.
The vessel, estimated to be 50 meters in length, will operate in the UAE’s territorial waters and will help the commission complete a survey of the marine environment and fisheries in waters deeper than 10 meters. About 30 people will work on the vessel, named “Zeon”, which represents one of the finest, rarest and most valuable varieties of pearls in the Arabian Gulf region, and will also include the latest marine research equipment in the Middle East region. . These include six on-board laboratories for analyzing marine samples and a remotely operated diving vehicle.
The development of the research vessel affiliated with the Commission, said the Secretary General of the Commission, “confirms the desire of the Abu Dhabi Emirate to support the scientific approach adopted by the Authority and to promote the efforts of the Government. Sustainable management of the marine environment, and to protect healthy aquatic ecosystems, especially oceans and shipping will help to understand the effects of climate change events and develop appropriate solutions to address them.
He added, “Our new vessel will contribute to Abu Dhabi’s efforts to protect the environment and marine biodiversity in the emirate and the country’s marine resources.”
He explained that the vessel is capable of conducting comprehensive marine and fisheries surveys, including basic marine ecological surveys in deep water, fisheries assessment surveys, coral reef and seafloor habitat surveys, sea water quality and sediment surveys, and marine biological surveys. The vessel will play a key role in developing strategic plans to ensure the recovery and sustainability of fish stocks.
Through this vessel, the Commission will implement several environmental initiatives, the most important of which is the Marine Blue Carbon Assessment Project for Marine Fisheries, which will implement the first marine blue carbon assessment survey for fisheries in the region; In support of the UAE’s strategic initiative to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
A baseline study of the marine environment will be conducted to identify hotspots for biodiversity, set priorities for protecting the marine environment and biodiversity, conduct surveys to map and monitor marine habitats, and monitor seagrass and coral reefs and habitats. Deep waters of the emirate. Marine wildlife surveys will also be conducted, including the general distribution of marine mammals and endangered species in Emirate waters, sea water quality, using vessel equipment, salinity, temperature and depth sensors (known as CTD), plankton nets and capture devices. Sediment sampling for water quality analysis at different depths.
Jiwon will conduct fisheries resource assessment surveys to obtain updated stock estimates, provide comparisons with abundance estimates from previous surveys, and carry out biological surveys. Integrating techniques for collecting marine organisms and using underwater acoustic wave techniques, the work will identify the DNA of the country’s major fish species while studying the complete genome sequences of more than 10 large fish species.
In collaboration with the company (G42) and Ocean X Corporation, the commission has provided a research vessel equipped with the latest international technology to analyze the DNA of marine life and fish during the studies it conducts. There will be an integrated database. It was the world’s first use of the technology on a research vessel designed for and genetically sequenced, considered the most advanced in the field of marine science.
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