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Reef%20Balls%20-%20Intr al-Fahal alfahalarabicversion oman1 oman2 CoralReefReseachYieldsGoodResults
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Reef Balls: A promising sign for coral reefs by Natayla Al-Kindy: As coral reefs continue to decline globally due to damage from human activities, various organisations around the world are seeking ways to protect them. Objects such as fishing nets and boat anchors, and indirect processes such as pollutants, sedimentation, temperature increases and Ultra Violet radiation are mainly the causes for the damage. In the last edition of PDO News Joppe Cramwinckel and Barry Jupp wrote about a joint project between Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and the Ministry of Environment and Regional Municipalities (MRME) to test artificial reef materials and structures in the Omani marine environment of Mina al Fahal. PDO staff and Contractors constructed three modules, each 4 metres square and 1.5 metres high. Two were made of scrap tyres and one of reinforced concrete pipe. The modules were deployed from the barge Fahal on March 12, 1997. Only three weeks after deployment, astonishingly vigorous colonising algae and animal growth on the structures and thousands of juvenile fish were already observed. But initial conclusions are that although tyres form an attractive habitat for fish, they are not suitable for long term reef restoration because of their toxicity and instability.