Bahrain Restores Sea Life

MANAMA, Bahrain, June 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- After a successful trial run, Bahrain is expanding its Artificial Reef Project, which aims to rebuild the country's marine life with artificial reefs in the sea.

The Fisheries and Marine Resources Directorate (FMRD), in conjunction with the Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs Ministry, is launching phase two of the project, which will deposit artificial reefs near natural reefs at depths of 15 meters.

"These structures are supposed to give fish new homes to breed in and stay safe from predators," FMRD Director Dr. Jassim Al Qaseer said.

The structures will attract coral and serve as building blocks for new coral reefs, according to Dr. Al Qaseer .

"It will take years before the artificial reefs become settled, but fish will come in this area and where there are small fish there will be big fish and this is a way of rehabilitating fish stocks," he said.

Results of the four-year project will be reviewed at the end of each phase. More than $2.65 million has already been spent on restoring sea life.

SOURCE Kingdom of Bahrain