With Qatar's seawater temperature touching 37c, its coastal lines have turned into a graveyard of fish and invertebrates. The alarming situation has forced the country's Supreme Council of Environment and Natural Reserves (scenr) to convene an emergency meeting of marine experts to address the problem.
Fish deaths were first noticed along the shores of Al Khor in the last week of August. By the second week of September, large numbers of fish and endangered sea turtles washed up on shores of Messaed, Al Messeilah, Um Alhoul, Al Wakhra, Ras Abu Fontas, Doha, Al Marunah and Al Jassayiah. Marine experts at scenr have attributed the phenomenon to the high temperature the maximum permissible level of open water temperature is 35c.
The increasing salinity of Qatar's seawater is also threatening the country's fish species, unique coral deposit and many other ecologically sensitive species, the marine experts said.
Fish are washed up on the Qatari shores every year, but this is the first time since 1998 when such a large number of fish and invertebrates have been washed up on the shores, local media reports note.
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