(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) An Omani oceanographer and his team have identified 25 species of harmful algae in the Sea of Oman, of which 20 may be potentially toxic.
Dr Adnan al Azri, an oceanographer and associate professor at SQU's Department of Marine Sciences and Fisheries, said, ''There has been an increase in the diversity of species of harmful algae along the coast of Oman.
''There are several factors contributing to the rise of harmful algal blooms (HABs) such as climate change, increase of dumping in the ocean, increase in cyclones, desalination plants and ballast waters. HABs can cause significant impact on marine resources such as fish kill, and coral reef damage.''
Many types of phytoplankton can grow and reach high numbers when nitrogen and phosphorus are added to the seas due to human activity. When this happens, it is termed as HABs.
Dr Azri said, ''The bloom in 2008-09 in the Sea of Oman was the deadliest one which caused substantial loss of fish and damaged coral reefs. We need to make people understand that dumping waste on sea shores can cause serious damage as these plankton develop in light and nitrogen.''
According to Dr Azri, it is difficult to say that a bloom is totally over as some species like the Cochlodinium polykrikoides engulf themselves in cysts, staying at the bottom of the ocean to bloom when the conditions are conducive. This particular species depletes oxygen from the water and its source is believed to be ballast water.
Of the 25 species discovered in the Sea of Oman, 20 may pose as potential toxic and the rest could be classified as toxic and high biomass HABs. The introduction of HABs in coastal waters of Oman is initiated by the introduction of nutrient-rich water from the upwelling in the south (Arabian Sea) and distributed by the mesoscale eddies that prevail along the sultanate's coast.
He emphasised, ''There is an urgent need to understand the impact of the blooms, tackle the situation in times of emergency and investigate further details as to see their effects on our oceans. Mitigation is the solution to blooms. If we reduce the number of activities and stop dumping in the ocean, we are in for a change.
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