APRIL 2010 QATAR EXPEDITION
Qatar, mid Arabian Gulf April 9 - 18 inc. (Report written by Richard Peirce)
PERSONNEL AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
| Organisers | - | Shark Conservation Society. |
| Leader | - | Richard Peirce. |
| Scientific Advisor | - | Alec Moore (IUCN - SSG member, Gulf region). |
| Volunteers | - | Mark Boothman, Andy Sweeney, Gokhan Kuzu, John Vuuren. |
| Photography | - | Mark Boothman, Richard Peirce. |
| Videography | - | Richard Peirce. |
The Society would like to thank
Mr Mohammed Saeed Mohannadi (Ministry of Environment)
Dr. Mohammad Abdullah (Ministry of Environment)
Brigadier Ali al Mennai (Qatar Coastguard)
Mohammed (Ministry of Environment, driver)
The Gulf Paradise Hotel
Darwish Travel
The Qatar Marine Festival
Qatar Museum's Authority
John Selhorn (Al Khor Diving Club)
Ziad Kassamani
REPORT SUMMARY
Following the unfortunate deferment of the planned SCS expedition to Abu Dhabi, it was decided to proceed with a limited market survey programme in Abu Dhabi carried out by Alec Moore and, at the same time, with a third expedition in Qatar.
Alec Moore's Abu Dhabi market survey is reported on separately (see "2010 Abu Dhabi Survey"). In Qatar time was spent chumming in Khor al Udaid for Bull sharks, Sandbar sharks and Blacktips, the pupping area discovered in April 2009 was visited and re-investigated, visits were carried out to the Corniche and Doha fish markets, historical records of the Green Sawfish - GSF (Pristis zijsron) were followed up on, and a visit was made to Bahrain to suggest that the Bahrain government consider Green Sawfish (GSF) protective legislation, and to explore the possibilities of mounting an expedition there.
OBJECTIVES
- Film and photograph free swimming sharks in Qatari waters.
- Follow up on several historic GSF records.
- Re-visit and investigate the Milkshark/Whitecheek shark pupping ground discovered in April 2009.
- Conduct limited market visits to add to data collected on the 2009 expedition.
- Visit Bahrain to suggest Green Sawfish (GSF) legislation which would complement the new Qatari law.
- Work with the Ministry of Environment (Fish Resources Dept.) towards putting legislation in place to close the pupping area to all fishing for three months annually, and to try to achieve a three month total ban on catching all elasmobranches.
- Documentary filming. Achieve footage for eventual use in the documentary which will cover all SCS work in the Gulf.
THE MARKET SURVEY
Visits to the main Doha wholesale market and the Corniche market were made on April 14/19/20/21/22. Forty-seven (47) photographs were taken of sharks which have been added to the data set achieved in 2009.
If anyone wants these photos or the details of what specimens were recorded, please approach the Society as we will be happy to provide the information. On a general level the following sharks were observed on the following days:-
APRIL 14 - DOHA WHOLESALE MARKET
Milksharks, Spottails, Whitecheeks, Blacktips, Bullshark (Pigeye)
APRIL 14 - CORNICHE MARKET
Blacktips, Milksharks, Whitecheeks
APRIL 19 - DOHA WHOLESALE MARKET
Spottails, Milksharks, Hooktooth shark, Blacktips, Whitecheeks, Bullshark (Pigeye)
APRIL 19 CORNICHE MARKET
Blacktips, Milksharks, Whitecheeks, *Possible Slender Weasel shark
APRIL 20 DOHA WHOLESALE MARKET
Milksharks, Hooktooths, Blacktips, Whitecheek,
APRIL 20 CORNICHE MARKET
Whitecheeks
APRIL 21 - DOHA WHOLESALE MARKET
Grey sharpnose, Milksharks
APRIL 22 - DOHA WHOLESALE MARKET
Milksharks, Sliteye sharks, Grey sharpnose, Blacktip.
KHOR AL UDAID
SCS member Gokhan Kuzu who is a keen diver and a Qatar resident, had in 2009, reported having seen Bullsharks, Blacktips and Sandbar sharks in Khor al Udaid, close to where the channel joins the open sea. This area was investigated by SCS in April 2009 and again in September 2009 and on both occasions sharks (probable Sandbars) were observed. Khor al Udaid is also the location of the most recent GSF sighting (John Selhorn November 2008), so from both shark and (hoped for) GSF perspectives this was an area we had to spend time working in.
Friday April 10
| Location | - | Mouth of Khor al Udaid channel |
| Depth | - | 1.8 metres |
| Water temp | - | 26.5 degrees |
| Bottom type | - | Sea grass, sand, rock |
| Chum | - | None |
| Visibility | - | Poor, 3/5 metres |
| Sea state | - | Slightly choppy |
| Hours worked | - | 2 hours 15 minutes in the water snorkelling/free diving along the drop off ridge |
| Species sighted | - | 9/10 rays, jacks, barracuda |
Saturday April 11
| Location | - | Mouth of Khor al Udaid channel |
| Depth | - | 1.8 metres |
| Water temp | - | 26.5 degrees |
| Bottom type | - | Sea grass, sand, rock |
| Chum | - | Sardines, deployed in an anchored bait tube and in a chum sack. A fixed underwater camera on a tripod was left observing the chum points, while the team worked in pairs up and down the drop off. |
| Visibility | - | 4/5 metres |
| Sea state | - | Slightly choppy |
| Hours worked | - | 2 hours 45 minutes was spent in the water snorkelling/free diving |
| Species sighted | - | Rays, jacks, remora, barracuda, garfish, milkfish |
Friday April 16
| Location | - | Mouth of Khor al Udaid channel |
| Depth | - | 1.8 metres |
| Water temp | - | 26.5 degrees |
| Bottom type | - | Sea grass, sand, rock |
| Chum | - | As for April 11, but no fixed camera |
| Visibility | - | 2/4 metres - very poor |
| Sea state | - | Very slight then increasing - choppy |
| Hours worked | - | 2 hours 30 minutes in the water |
| Species sighted | - | Remora, turtle, 2 rays |
Saturday April 17
| Location | - | Mouth of Khor al Udaid channel |
| Depth | - | 1.8 metres |
| Water temp | - | 26.5 degrees |
| Bottom type | - | Sea grass, sand, rock |
| Chum | - | As for April 11, but no fixed camera |
| Visibility | - | 3/6 metres |
| Sea state | - | Flat |
| Hours worked | - | 3 hours in the water |
| Species sighted | - | Various rays, remora, faska fish, Banded sea bream, barracuda. NO SHARKS AGAIN! THE NEEDLES WON'T COME OUT OF THE HAYSTACKS!! |
APRIL 12/13 NEAR ALIYAH ISLAND
PUPPING GROUND INVESTIGATION
On the 18th and 19th of April 2009 a total of 84 juvenile sharks (mostly Milksharks and a few Whitecheeks) were caught, recorded, and released. Many specimens still had umbilical scarring, and all were within a few weeks of having been born. The Society has suggested this area be closed to all fishing for the suspected pupping period mid February - mid May (three months).
On April 12/13 2010 Richard, Mark, Andy and Gokhan aboard a Qatar Coastguard vessel returned to the same area to duplicate the investigation of April 2009.
Position
25' 24' 227 N / 51' 40' 396 E
We arrived at 1615 and were chumming by 1630. We left the above location at 2330 and recorded 5 male Whitecheek pups, 2 female Whitecheek pups and a Milkshark pup. (Details can be provided if applied for).
Position
25' 24' 368 N / 51' 41' 005 E
Two hours were worked at the above location during which four female Milkshark pups, one female Whitecheek pup were recorded, and one large (unsexed) 0.8 metre Whitecheek was observed.
Due to logistical problems we were not able to carry out the same intensive fishing efforts that had been done in 2009. However with only limited effort fourteen pups in the same area as last year's pups is further confirmation that the area is a pupping ground
GREEN SAWFISH (GSF) (Pristis zijsron)
In the report of the April 2009 expedition there was a list of GSF evidence in Qatari and Bahraini waters. Further evidence was gathered on the 2010 expedition which enables the list to be updated. New cases are marked with an *
| DATE | PLACE | INFO SOURCE | CORROBORATION/DETAILS |
|---|---|---|---|
| * 1980's 2 cases | Al Ruweis (North Qatar coast) | Owner of shop in Suq al Waqaf | 2 rostrums. 1 = 85cms total length 31 teeth left 33 teeth right. 2 = 125 cms total length 35 teeth left 35 teeth right |
| * mid 1980's | Al Ruweis | Al Gallaf store Suq al Waqaf | Rostrum. 31 teeth left 33 teeth right |
| * Feb 1984 | Al Ruweis | Ibrahim Fouad Ahmed (Qatar National Museum) | Whole specimen preserved - 5 metres inc. rostrum. Male specimen. Rostrum 118 cms long 29 teeth right 29 teeth left. Rostrum had been cut |
| Early 1990's | Khor al Udaid | Sk. Mohd. Bin Fahad | Eye witness |
| Early 1990's | Khor al Udaid | F. Gillispie | Eye witness |
| Early 1990's | Khor al Udaid | Fahad (Fisheries Department) | Eye witness |
| * 1995/96 | Harat al Assiri (a.k.a. Halat Umm al Khayan) | Ziad Kassamani (& others) | Eye witnesses |
| 2004 | Al Thakiri | Eissa | Juvenile caught but un-photographed or measured. |
| 2006/07 | Al Ruweis | Mohd al Jaidah | 4 metre specimen. Filmed post release |
| 2007 | Khor al Udaid | Mohd. Al Mennai | Female caught with 6 pups |
| *2008 Nov | Khor al Udaid | John Selhorn | Eye witness |
| 2009 March | Bahrain | Mohd. Al Humadi | Photos of specimen on beach |
CONCLUSION
Discussions were held with the Fish Resources Department (Ministry of Environment) on the desirability of the three-month closure of the suspected pupping ground, and an annual three-month ban on all elasmobranch landings. The department is in broad agreement as to the need for these measures.
The visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain brought invitations to make proposals for GSF protection in Bahraini waters, and for an expedition in 2011.
Four days spent investigating Khor al Udaid produced no current evidence of sharks or GSF.
The market surveys supported the data gathered in 2009. As in 2009 large numbers of juvenile Milk sharks and Whitecheeks were present in the markets and this, plus the successful second visit to the pupping ground, provides further evidence to warrant the three-month closure to fishing of the area.
As long as the Society is gathering data, the expeditions serve conservation purposes, and Gulf governments support us, our work will continue. Thank you to the governments of Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain for your help and support.
