Iran Publishes Atlas of Persian Gulf, Sea of Oman Fishes
Mahnaz Kerdegari told ANA that the atlas of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman fish has been prepared and published in collaboration with Farrokh Parafkandeh Haqiqi, an associate professor of Iran’s Fisheries Science Research Institute.
She noted that 1,000 copies of the atlas has been published by Islamic Azad University’s publications so far and it introduces bony and cartilaginous fishes of the region.
Kerdegari underlined the vital and strategic importance of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, saying that studying and preserving the plant and animal species in this ecosystem, which is one of the valuable and natural reserves of Iran, is highly important.
“Although the process of industrialization of human societies brings progress and comfort for mankind, it has raised the alarm for the survival of the planet that faces climate change, global warming, and endangered environment, and our country is not far away from this transformation and climate change; therefore, it is highly important to monitor, study and understand the current situation to protect the endangered marine species,” she said.
The Persian Gulf is a valuable water body in terms of ecosystem and biodiversity but has been endangered severely due to different factors.
Acidification, reduction of oxygen, increase in temperature, and, most importantly, pollution of the aquatic environment, are among the challenges of the Persian Gulf, which have caused significant damage to this watershed and its inhabitants.
The Persian Gulf has an area of about 241,000 square kilometers. Its length is some 990 km, and its width varies from a maximum of about 340 km to a minimum of 55 km in the Strait of Hormuz.
It has its own environmental characteristics, as it is a semi-closed sea, aging 15,000 years, with an average depth of 35 meters, while being highly salty with severe heat fluctuations, and an annual evaporation rate of 140 cm.
There are 2 species of dolphin and whale in the area, in addition to 1,100 species of fish and 5 species of turtle, the Persian Gulf also hosts the second largest population of manatees, 232 seaweed species, and 4 million migratory birds annually, but today 240 important species and many habitats are under threat.
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