The impressive Sharjah skyline. Photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Sohaila Ahmed, Staff Reporter

Organised by the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA), the 21st Sharjah International Conservation Forum for Arabian Biodiversity (SICFAB) will begin tomorrow, Feb.3, at Desert Park in Sharjah.

The four-day Forum, which will be held until Feb.6, will include discussions of several important issues related to biodiversity such as marine and coastal management of species of coral, turtles, sharks, marine mammals, mangroves and seaweed.

Participants will also cover topical problems facing these ecosystems, such as fisheries, aquaculture, pollution, plastic, oil spills and climate change.

In an effort to contribute to regional issues related to marine mammals, sea turtles and seabirds, the veterinary topic will be discussed under SICFAB’s general theme.

Concerns about animals’ health and the effects of oil spills, boat strikes, plastic pollution and heavy metals will also be discussed. This year, 130 environmental experts, researchers and specialists from 24 countries are participating in SICFAB.

Over the course of 21 years, SICFAB, a valuable asset for Sharjah and the EPAA, has created a paradigm shift in the environmental field locally, regionally and globally. The Forum is a platform that allows experts from different countries to exchange experiences and information.

It contributes to the development of knowledge about the status of nature in the UAE and the Arabian Peninsula, which are known for their rich biodiversity. The Forum also contributes to the development of plans to protect biodiversity in the Arabian Peninsula.

Recently, teams from Epaa issued visitors to wilderness areas with more than 800 tickets during the last quarter of 2019. The majority of the tickets were issued for leaving food and waste from barbecues in wilderness areas, moving rocks and harming the environment, changing the features of the area, and damaging plants in the area.

Based on Executive Council Resolution No. 9 of 2012, which prohibits the degradation of the environment in Sharjah’s wilderness areas, Epaa continues to raise awareness with programmes and activities for visitors, focusing on the importance of preserving wilderness areas. Epaa is redoubling its efforts during this period because the good weather is conducive to hiking and visits to wilderness areas.

Increasingly, people visit these areas in their cars, which can destroy wild herbs and plants and kill wild animals. Visitors may be unaware that the area is part of a nature reserve or that it contributes to the conservation of biodiversity.