Dolphin. Photo: Express
KARACHI:
Despite the sea’s unusual green color caused by a seasonal marine phenomenon, the coastal waters of Gwadar remain rich in marine life, with pods of bottlenose dolphins recently spotted in the port city’s western bay.
According to a statement issued by WWF-Pakistan, a winter occurrence known as the Noctiluca bloom has led to widespread green discoloration of seawater across Pakistan’s coastline, stretching from Karachi to Jiwani, with the phenomenon also extending into coastal waters in Iran.
The bloom has turned the sea water deep green in several areas, especially around Gwadar.
Despite the dense green waters, the sea in Gwadar still teems with marine life. WWF said the natural phenomenon has not disrupted fishing activity.
Local fisherman Ameer Dad Khan reported that during the last few days, shrimp catches along the Balochistan coast have been abundant and larger in size, indicating stable sea conditions.
Balochistan’s Director of Marine Fisheries Ahmed Nadeem confirmed on Sunday morning that a large number of dolphins were sighted in Gwadar’s western bay.
Commenting on the situation, WWF technical advisor Muhammad Moazzam Khan explained that such color changing events in the ocean are generally non-toxic and often increase marine productivity.
He said Noctiluca blooms cause mortality only in extreme cases. The condition, locally referred to in the Balochi language as “badd aab”, occurs periodically in the Arabian Sea, with a higher frequency in the winter months.
However, he stressed that fishing activities have not been affected and fishermen are continuing their routine operations without interruption.
Moazzam Khan said the sighting of bottlenose dolphins in the western gulf of Gwadar was an encouraging sign, adding that it confirmed that the green sea has not adversely affected the area’s marine biodiversity.
