Mishap Brings Environment Fears into Focus.

Summary: DUBAI - The oil tanker and container ship crash at Jebel Ali port on Tuesday was a reminder of the potential environmental impacts that the UAEAEs economic activities can have.

With a long history of pearl diving and shipping and the more recent C offshore development, the UAE relies heavily on its 1,300 kilometres of coastline for industry.

Speaking on Monday about the UAEAEs acceptance into an international organisation to protect beaches and marinas, Maisoun Al Sharif, a coordinator for Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS), said government agencies had long tried to balance these dual interests.

oThe coastal line and the marine environment have always been an issue for the authorities here,o said Al Sharif, who will coordinate the international coastal protection programme Blue Flag for EWS, the UAE arm of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

It was not clear on Tuesday afternoon if the collision caused a petroleum spill, although pictures taken from the area showed fire burning on the surface of the water.

In November, representatives from the Regional Clean Sea Organisation, the Ministry of Environment signed an agreement to develop a contingency plan for oil spills.

Oil spills are more common in Fujairah , which also acts as a major C shipping hub. Ryan Todd, an instructor for Al Boom Diving in Fujairah , said he had seen approximately 10 small oil spills in his six years there, most recently last summer.

oSometimes we see seagulls covered in oil,o he said, adding that because the spills do not typically cover a large area, the marine life remains unaffected. He said he has seen oil washed up on Fujairah AEs beaches.

Beaches in all emirates will be considered as potential pilot sites for the Blue Flag programme. According to Al Sharif, EWS will meet with local government and community organisations to select a beach or marina that will act as an initial pilot site.

Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, the managing director of EWS-WWF, said the program would improve the health of the beaches and educate residents about the importance of caring for C the coastline.

oThe Blue Flag programme would support the protection of this asset by presenting a platform of good public governance in the form of a certification in order to improve coastal facilities that are litter-free and boast a high recreational water quality, in addition to adequate beach usersAE safety services,o he said.

Blue Flag already certifies 3,200 beaches and marinas in 37 countries worldwide.

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