Under pressure: Fujairah divers' coral project battles effects of climate change

The National joins divers as they aim to plant 24,000 corals by end of next year

Freestyle Divers owner Daryl Owen with coral samples that will be used to propagate the new reef. Antonie Robertson/The National

A project to revive the country's marine species is paying dividends but more needs to be done to mitigate the impact of pollution on the UAE's coral reefs, an expert said.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Marine Owen, co-owner of Freestyle Divers, realised there was no more time to waste to offset the effects of climate change.

"When I went for the first dive after the Covid lockdown and I saw how amazing it was in the water, that's when it hit me that, as humans, we have a negative impact on the environment," she said.

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"The dive site [in Fujairah] is great but after the lockdown, with no one around, the visibility was amazing. There were a lot more fish than usual, and I could really see the difference."

The National joined the team and volunteers on a dive to a coral nursery 4km south of Dibba Rock, off the town of Dibba, to witness their work.

Reef restoration in action

The corals planted on the dive are a small part of Freestyle Divers' goal to plant 24,000 by the end of next year. The group has been leading the Project REEFrame since 2021.

The aim is to create thriving natural habitats in seawater suitable for coral, but where reefs would not naturally develop due to the scarcity of rocky outcrops where they can grow.

When The National joined the dive, nine divers were part of the team assisting the start of a new nursery, where participants were taught to attach coral correctly to a steel frame.

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  Scuba divers involved in Project REEFrame and Canon’s World Unseen 2.0 initiative work below the surface off the coast of Fujairah. Photo: Canon

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  Members of Freestyle Divers involved in the World Unseen 2.0 coral reef restoration project near Dibba Rock, off Fujairah. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  The project aims to help protect coral reefs in the UAE's waters. Canon

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  Freestyle Divers owner Darryl Owen with coral samples from the Project REEFrame nursery reef, 4km south of Dibba Rock. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  Volunteers attach pieces of coral to a steel frame to create the new reef, in an initiative sponsored by Canon Middle East. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  Freestyle Divers aims to plant 24,000 corals. Each small artificial reef is 2m long, 2m wide and 1.5m high. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  Divers and volunteers prepare to set up the new reef site. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  Coral reefs provide a crucial habitat but are under threat from rising sea surface temperatures, which makes them more susceptible to disease and mortality. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  'The ocean produces 50 per cent to 70 per cent of the oxygen we breathe,' says Mr Owen. 'If coral reefs disappear, everything collapses'. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  However, corals found in UAE waters are the most thermally resistant in the world, says Mr Owen. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  Mr Owen and volunteers attach pieces of coral to create the artificial reef. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  A steel frame is lowered into the water to provide a stable platform on the seabed for the new reef. Antonie Robertson / The National

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  'We'll be very happy that the 63 corals that were tied to the frame today will eventually get bigger and better and contribute – which is the whole purpose,' said Mr Owen. Antonie Robertson / The National

The steel frame is submerged and secured to the artificial reef structure by the divers. The day before, naturally broken coral was collected and had to be kept underwater to avoid it drying out, meaning the planting process had to be swift.

"We had the right people, we had the right resources, we had the right technology, the equipment, and we could make that happen in real life,” said Venkatasubramanian Hariharan, managing director of Canon Middle East & Turkey, which has launched a two-year partnership with Freestyle Divers to support their efforts.

“And we'll be very happy that the 63 corals that were tied to the frame today will eventually get bigger and better and contribute, which is the whole purpose.”

Not only do coral reefs offer crucial shelter for marine species, they also boost the economy because of the tourism potential for divers, said Ms Owen.

Local shores

While the issue around the damage caused to coral reefs by climate change is a global one, there are problems that are specific to the Middle East, said Darryl Owen, co-owner and chief executive of Freestyle Divers.

The Environment Agency Abu Dhabi lists manmade activities as dangerous to reefs and says 50 per cent of corals have been destroyed in the past 30 years.

"We would love to do coral restoration on the west coast but we have issues with sedimentary pollution," he said. “We've had 40 years of construction and it has created dust. The sea is used to having dust from the desert but with dredging and construction we have created a lot more than the ocean can cope with.

“It has created silt on the ocean floor and the reef growth system is basically designed to help us restore multiple ecosystems in that environment."