The ESC team comprising Dr Ibrahim al-Maslamani, Dr Ibrahim al-Ansari, Dr Mohsen al-Ansi and Ismail al-Shaikh was joined by the Bangor team led by Dr Lewis Le Vay to collect images of seabed habitat, as well as samples of marine organisms and oceanographic data, with the aim of developing a better understanding of the links between the Gulf waters and the seabed below.

Using specially-designed camera gear, the team focused on oyster reefs about 20-30 miles offshore from Doha, which are shallow and highly productive areas that support diverse marine life and are also fishing grounds of traditional and cultural importance.

Dr al-Maslamani said: “This cruise came as part of an ongoing partnership in the marine sciences and research between the two universities in an agreement signed in 2012. RV Janan is well-equipped to carry out these critical investigations, which will uncover data that will assist in the formulation of national environmental policies in line with objectives detailed in Qatar National Vision 2030 and the development strategies.”

Dr Le Vay said: “These oyster reef areas are important both in terms of biodiversity and fisheries, but their distribution and extent is not well-documented in scientific studies. We are particularly interested in how the marine life is colonising these shallow reef areas, which varies at different water depths, and also how they are supported by planktonic production in offshore waters. We hope that the results will contribute to a better understanding of these productive marine habitats that make up significant areas of Qatari offshore waters”.

RV Janan is operated by the ESC as the only marine research vessel in Qatar. It is equipped with cutting-edge technologies in the field of oceanography for the benefit of national researchers and scientists and is designed to advance marine environmental studies and research in Qatar and the Gulf region.