The Fujairah Environment Authority in the United Arab Emirates has selected Maryam Alhefeiti, a Marine researcher, and Sabhah Alhmoudi, an Environmental researcher at the Fujairah Research Centre, to undertake the First Fisheries Resource Assessment Survey in the deeper waters of Fujairah.
Equipped with the most advanced marine scientific research vessel in the Middle East, the Jaywun, operated by the environment agency – Abu Dhabi; the researchers embarked on a two-week survey to gather crucial data on the fish stocks in Fujairah.
Jaywun, a state-of-the-art equipment boasting of cutting-edge techniques, including six onboard laboratories, acoustic fish finding technology, underwater cameras and sensors, computer-aided data analysis, and next-generation genomic technologies; allowed Maryam and Sabhah to collect data swiftly and accurately, resulting in a comprehensive understanding of the fish stock, condition, and other relevant metrics in the Fujairah area.
The young researchers expressed their fervor at being able to utilise such a well-equipped vessel, which greatly enhanced their survey efforts and provided an in-depth assessment of marine life in Fujairah.
The key objective of the survey conducted by the Fujairah Research Centre scientists was to enhance knowledge regarding the diversity, distribution, and abundance of fish stocks, as well as their species, size, and age in Fujairah waters. Employing acoustic data collection and eDNA baselines, which marked the first of their kind in the Fujairah region, the survey enabled the detection of present species, invasive and endangered species, and comprehensive genome sequencing using the research vessel’s cutting-edge equipment.