Escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz could have serious consequences for sharks and other marine life in Bahrain’s waters, as oil spills, maritime debris and underwater explosions add to the pressures already facing the Arabian Gulf, an environmental campaigner has warned.
Jenny Elliott-Bennett, 48, who lived in Bahrain for nearly 10 years, said the potential impact on the kingdom was heightened by the Gulf’s semi-enclosed nature and slow circulation, which could allow pollutants entering through the Strait to end up in Bahrain’s water and remain in the region for prolonged periods.
There have been several reports of oil leaks and spills in the region in recent months amid the conflict and the environmental impact has yet to be studied.
Videos and reports showed major oil slicks ashore on Iran’s Qeshm Island, reportedly from a vessel hit in a strike in the Strait, while a tanker carrying Russian crude ran aground off Oman in June, with satellite analysis indicating that the resulting leak covered more than 2,000 square kilometres.
Multiple vessels have also reportedly been burning or are on fire in the Strait following projectile and drone strikes, raising concerns about fuel, debris and other pollutants entering the marine environment.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, carrying roughly 20 per cent of global oil, while also serving as the only maritime connection between the Arabian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.
But the Strait’s importance to Bahrain extends beyond its commercial consequences, with the waterway also serving as an important corridor for marine life.
“There are at least 30 endemic species of sharks in the wider Arabian Gulf and at least seven of them use the waters around Bahrain as critical nursery sites, making them particularly vulnerable to pollution and subsequent salinity changes in their marine environment,” Ms Elliott-Bennett told the GDN.
Ms Elliott-Bennett
Blacktip reef sharks, Arabian carpet sharks and Milk sharks are among the species commonly found around the kingdom.
“Many burning, burnt-out and sunken vessels and subsequent oil spills, as well as debris from missiles and drones in the Strait, are further polluting the already heavily polluted waters of the semi-enclosed sea, where it can take between two to five years for water to circulate and exit the region.
“This means that pollution coming in from oil or chemical spills in the Strait accumulates in the Gulf, and current flow and sea depth mean that pollution can accumulate significantly around Bahrain.
“Oil spills can reduce light penetration and disrupt plankton drifts, while rising sea temperatures and salinity, which can alter fish behaviour and so reduce prey,” she said.
The British national, who has been studying sharks since 2018 and is currently pursuing a PhD on sharks in the Arabian Gulf, warned that prolonged exposure to these pollutants could impair their ability to hunt.
Her research, which is officially endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade Programme, also highlights concerns that toxins accumulating in sharks’ bodies could affect their fertility and increase the risk of tumours.
The UN Ocean Decade, officially the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, is a global initiative to advance ocean science and use it to protect and sustainably manage marine ecosystems. It is co-ordinated by Unesco’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.
The Strait is also important to Bahrain’s transitory shark populations because it acts as a migratory corridor for at least 20 such species, including endangered whale sharks,” Ms Elliott-Bennett said, adding that sharks must navigate the busy waterway to reach important shallow-water habitats along the coasts of Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE.
“If sharks cannot access the Strait as their migratory corridor, they cannot get to their vital feeding grounds,” she said.
Whale sharks are classified as endangered, with populations having declined by more than 50 per cent since the 1950s, largely due to threats including commercial fishing bycatch and habitat destruction linked to climate change.
Although there have not yet been any official studies or reports documenting changes in marine life around Bahrain as a result of the current situation, Ms Elliott-Bennett said she had heard reports from regional fishermen of disruptions to fisheries, with some noticing fewer fish in their catches, potentially indicating changes in fish behaviour.
“Such changes could be an indication of growing stress on the marine environment,” she noted.
“A stressed marine environment can lead to habitat degradation and declines in fish diversity and populations. Open-water species such as anchovies, mackerel and sardines can be particularly affected by pollution of their food sources, as well as rising sea temperatures and salinity levels.”
Ms Elliott-Bennett began researching sharks in Bahrain after seeing them being sold at supermarket fish counters, prompting concerns about the lack of data on shark populations and fishing practices in Bahraini waters.
She subsequently collected data from fish markets, supermarket fish counters and landing docks, while also interviewing fishermen to build a clearer picture of the species being caught.
Her research recorded individual specimens from multiple species listed as Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
“I put together a report and then went to the Supreme Council for the Environment (SCE) to tell them what I had discovered,” she said.
Ms Elliott-Bennett eventually presented her findings to the SCE and helped develop a shark protection law for Bahrain. “The law was argued back and forth but was eventually provisionally accepted with some amendments,” Ms Elliott-Bennett said.
julia@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))