Barka:South Al Batinah: The Environment Authority in South Al Batinah Governorate, in collaboration with the Oman Sea Diving Team and the Municipality Department in Barka, initiated a campaign to clear entangled fishing nets in the marine area around Jabal Al Suwadi in the Wilayat of Barka. This action followed a report from a citizen about sea turtles caught in fishing nets and dying.

According to Oman News Agency, after receiving the report, the authorities swiftly coordinated efforts and organized the campaign, involving around 26 participants, including 13 divers. The team successfully removed all nets and ropes from the site, with a total weight of approximately 400 kilograms.

Hamoud Khamis Al Nairi, Head of the Dimaniyat Islands Nature Reserve Centre, stated that the report highlighted the presence of entangled fishing nets with several dead turtles in the area. Prompt coordination with relevant entities was undertaken to remove and properly dispose of these nets.

The diving and inspection operations uncovered numerous dead sea turtles entangled in the nets, as well as the deaths of various fish and other marine organisms. This underscores the destructive impact abandoned or lost fishing nets can have on the marine ecosystem.

The Environment Authority urges fishermen and sea users to avoid abandoning or neglecting fishing nets and equipment in the ocean. They are encouraged to retrieve and dispose of them properly and to immediately report any lost or entangled nets. This is crucial to safeguarding marine life and preserving biodiversity.