Environment Society of Oman honours local fishermen

Muscat: Local fishermen on Masirah Island have been honoured by the Environment Society of Oman for their participation in a conservation programme.

The project, which is funded by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), with technical expertise provided by Five Oceans Environmental Service, aimed to investigate the potential impact of skiff and dhow fishing vessels on marine wildlife and in particular marine turtles, over a span of two years. The project was initiated to understand the possible causes behind the decline in the nesting population of loggerhead turtles on Masirah Island.

The study was conducted by fitting vessels with GPS tracking units and automated cameras to document catch that lands on the deck, including bycatch.

The event was attended by H.E. Sheikh Talal bin Saif Al Hosni, Wali of Masirah and H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Ali Al Badi, representative of Majlis al-Shura, in the presence of members of the local community.