Enec installs artificial reef to increase sustainability near nuclear plant

Waters off coastline at Enec’s Barakah plant host artificial reef that, experts say, will lead way in promoting biodiversity.

The Barakah Artificial Reef Project was developed by Enec in partnership with the National Marine Dredging Company and the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi. Courtesy Enec

ABU DHABI // An artificial reef has been built off Barakah in the waters near the UAE’s first nuclear power plant, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation announced on Wednesday.

The concrete reef, 3.8 kilometres from the shoreline, will help to enhance the marine environment and promote biodiversity, Enec said.

“Sustainability is at the heart of what we do,” said Mohammed Al Hammadi, chief executive of the company.

“We are consistently looking for ways to protect and enhance our natural environment.”

The Barakah Artificial Reef Project was developed by Enec in partnership with the National Marine Dredging Company and the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi.

“It’s one way of increasing the protection of the habitat, providing a new shelter and a new area for food,” said a marine environment expert, who declined to be named.

“It also protects the coastal area and all this accounts when it comes to establishing an artificial reef.”

The expert said the reef would play a vital role in reducing the environmental stress caused by heavy industrialisation at the nuclear power plant in the south of the emirate.

“We need artificial reefs in the region and in the whole UAE,” he said. “We encourage it because, first of all, the whole resource in the Gulf is declining so we need to have more protected areas and more available marine habitats – most of them are under stress from climate change, human activities and pollution.”

The project, at almost 6,700 square metres, was built using recycled, moulded concrete Corelocs – shaped blocks used in the assembly of Barakah’s coastal breakwater which fit together to create a lattice.

“Its size isn’t huge,” said Dr Saif Al Ghais, executive director of the Environmental Authority of Ras Al Khaimah. “Artificial reefs built anywhere with some monitoring and protection by the concerned party would enhance the marine environment.”

He said as long as its location and its impact on the current – as well as its protection – had been assessed, it was a good move.

There were two types of artificial reefs, he said: nurseries that enhance fishery and protect fish larvae, and one for adult fish.

“A reef in general attracts fish from different areas and forms as a habitat for them,” he said. “If there is a small habitat for larvae to be protected, then the reef can really enhance fishery.

“But you [could] attract carnivore fish and this will impact the seabed where you have species which feed on the seabed, or herbivore fish which feed on seagrass. So the ecology needs to be studied, and I’m sure they’ve looked at it and what type of species they want to attract.”

Almost 1,800 of the large concrete units were positioned on the ocean floor using a GPS-aided crane.

Enec said the lattice formation of the reef was designed to replicate a natural coral reef and worked to stimulate the ecosystem. It is also said to improve the seabed habitat.

“The enhanced habitat is expected to attract a range of marine species,” Enec said. “This includes algae, invertebrates such as barnacles, corals, oysters, and a variety of small and large fish.”