Page 43 - Abu Dhabi Oil Co Ltd. (Japan) - Sustainability Report

ADOC 2022 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

Seagrass

Seagrass is a highly productive ecosystem in the UAE
which serves as a home for marine wildlife including 2015 2016
dugongs, green turtles and other commercial fisheries,
including penaeid shrimp and oysters. On Mubarraz
Island, there are reportedly 4,252 hectares of seagrass
vegetation. It is also known that the seagrass habitats on 2017 2018
Hail Shoal, a shallow reef shoal 5 kilometers south of
Mubarraz Island, are very diverse. To document the spatial
extent and density of the seagrass ecosystem at Hail
Shoal and to better understand the temporal dynamics
of its distribution over time, we hired a specialist to map 2019 2020
it using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Followed by a quick recovery back to about 200 ha
in 2018. The total area of seagrass was at its highest
in 2019, offering little proof of any effects from our
development. The seagrass extent was continuously 2022
recovering throughout the Hail Shoal area, according
to the 2019 and 2020 imagery. The imagery of 2022
displays exponential growth compared to the previous
years. A seagrass carpet is seemed to be formed around
the Hail Shoal area.

Continuous monitoring will be undertaken to evaluate
the seagrass habitats across Hail Shoal and ensure
the prevention of degradation of this important
ecosystem.
Seagrass Extent at Hail Shoal (2015 – 2022) 2

Ospreys present in the Emirate, accounting for 75% of the entire
Arabian Gulf breeding population. Our efforts to monitor
and preserve the Osprey on Mubarraz Island have been
One of the valuable residents of the Emirate of Abu ongoing since 2005, where artificial osprey nests have
Dhabi is the Osprey (Pandion haliaetus – LC). This osprey been set up near the Island to promote the growth of
is considered as a regional priority species as it has a the residing osprey population. The average number
resident breeding population exclusively in the capital of of monthly Osprey sightings in 2022 was 29, which is
the UAE. It is estimated that 70-75 breeding pairs are approximately a 9% decrease from 32 sightings in 2021.

DID YOU KNOW?
The osprey's feet are uniquely adapted to "air fishing". Their morphology helps them hold onto a slippery
fish in flight.

2 Data for 2022 has been sourced from the EAD https://enviroportal.ead.ae/map/.

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