6 dead dugongs found on Abu Dhabi coast
Death toll this year rises to 20, a worrying sign for the species with gulf population of just 7,000
Six dead dugongs have washed up on the coast of Abu Dhabi, bringing the death toll this year to 20, the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) said.
In a statement yesterday, EAD confirmed that “six dugongs have recently been found washed ashore on Abu Dhabi’s coastline from Al Silaa to Ghantoot, in what is now considered to be a significant die-off of one of Abu Dhabi’s most vulnerable species”.
The latest discoveries bring the total number of dugong deaths probed by EAD to 165 incidents in recent years caused mainly by illegal fishing nets, boat strikes and marine pollution.
EAD said the remains of the shy white creatures “were discovered by EAD rangers who regularly patrol Abu Dhabi waters. This incident brings the total number of dead dugongs found to 20 since the beginning of the year compared to 15 during the same period in 2017”.
Preliminary investigation points to one of the greatest arbitrary marine killers — drift nets which snare marine life leading to their deaths.
“The results of the investigation and necropsy indicate that the most probable cause of death was drowning via entanglement in unmanned and abandoned drift nets — an illegal fishing practice. This irresponsible act causes dugongs to be caught and ensnared in the lengthy netting,” EAD said.
Fines imposed
Forty fines have been imposed on those caught fishing illegally this year.
The losses are not good news for the dugong population with roughly 7,000 dugongs living in the Gulf, 3,000 of which are believed to inhabit Abu Dhabi waters, according to an EAD’s annual 2014 report. I
n total, about 100,000 dugongs are believed to live in the wild with 90 per cent of the population living in Australian waters.