An Emirati diver sends an environmental message from underwater

The Emirati diver, Saleh Mohammed Al Dhahouri, did not expect that a piece of coral covered with a layer of algae would be the spark that would change his course and push him to establish one of the most prominent environmental projects on the East Coast in recent years. He was stopped by the color of the white piece of coral, only to discover, after a journey of research into environmental sources, that this color was a sign of the beginning of the coral’s death, and that he had received what looked like a call for help from the sea.

Al-Dhahouri told Emirates Al-Youm that the beginning was nothing more than a passing observation underwater, when he noticed the color of the coral changing to white, believing, like other amateurs, that this color was part of its aesthetic nature.

He said: “When I came across a piece of coral floating on the surface, completely bleached, I realized something was wrong.”

He explained that he read about coral reefs, only to discover that the white color is the beginning of coral death, and a critical stage that precedes the collapse of the ecosystem at the site, stressing that this realization was “the real moment of transformation” that changed his view of diving from a mere hobby and personal enjoyment to an environmental responsibility.

Al-Dhahouri describes that moment as the “starting point” towards establishing his coral farming project.

He continues: “I was not a diving instructor or a marine researcher. Rather, I was a simple diver who started from a small curiosity, but that casual observation turned into a daily commitment that continued with me for 10 years, during which I did not stop monitoring the sea, understanding its changes, and trying to save what could be saved.”

He mentions that during these years he faced strange situations, starting with finding cameras in the depths, and recovering sports shoes that their owners lost while swimming, all the way to one of two shoes that resembled, as he jokingly says, “Cinderella’s shoe.”

He confirmed that during his dives he encountered sea turtles stuck among plastic waste, and he intervened to free them.

He pointed out that these field stories made him closer to the details of the marine environment, and prompted him to establish a cultivation site that today has become a “safe haven” for different types of coral and fish, adding that “coral currently includes rare species.”

Al-Dhahouri stated that he has been working on the site two to three days a week for about 10 years without interruption, stressing that “participation in the initiative is not limited to citizens, but rather includes residents and tourists from the Gulf countries, because the love of the sea is not linked to a specific nationality or age. There are participants from different countries and nationalities, and one of the participants in the cleaning and farming campaigns is not more than 10 years old.”

He said that as the project spread, teams from Musandam in the Sultanate of Oman, and from Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, began communicating with him to learn about the experience and apply it in similar environments, adding that this communication made him very happy “because it means that an initiative that started from nothing has become an imprint that extends beyond the borders of the country.”

Al-Dhahouri confirms that his main motivation was his awareness of the importance of coral reefs in preserving biodiversity, adding that the work was not without challenges, the most important of which was the lack of funding, and natural phenomena that sometimes cause damage to some reefs or changes in currents that hinder the stabilization process, but he believes that his long experience underwater helped him determine the appropriate sites, pointing out that the sea gives its signals, and with time it becomes possible to know where coral lives and where it dies.

He stated that the farming site, which was initially a limited area that attracted only a few types of fish, gradually transformed into a vibrant environment, after species that had not been seen in the waters of Fujairah for many years returned.

He said: “One of the most prominent positive indicators is the return of sea turtles to swimming near the site, and their appearance in separate seasons, unlike the situation previously, when they completely disappeared due to the deterioration of the reefs and the weakness of the coral cover.” He added: “Today we see groups of small and large fish and turtles passing by us while diving without fear, as if the place has become a safe habitat for them. This change did not happen by chance, but rather came as a result of the accumulation of years of work and rehabilitation.”

He shows that the coral farming project reflects positively on both the environment and the economy, by revitalizing diving sites, attracting tourists, improving fishing areas, and revitalizing the work of marine centers and hotels, indicating that the success of the project would not have been achieved without the existing cooperation with the Fujairah Environment Authority and the Fujairah Research Center, in addition to the support of some universities and private schools, and community awareness that has risen significantly compared to the beginning, and many have become aware of the importance of coral and the consequences of its loss.

Regarding the future of the project, Al-Dhahouri said: “My plan for the coming years is to establish an academy specialized in coral reefs and their cultivation, to be an educational and knowledge platform that graduates a new generation of divers and those interested in the marine environment.”

Saleh Al-Dhahouri:

• I found cameras and sports shoes in the depths of the sea that their owners lost while swimming… and I came across “turtles” stuck among the waste.

• I plan in the future to establish an academy specialized in coral reefs and their cultivation, to be an educational and knowledge platform.