Cefas International aims to keep you informed of the breadth of marine and freshwater science work we carry out across the world on behalf of and in partnership with UK Government, other governments, academia, NGOs and business. Our research and advice help ensure that our oceans, seas and rivers are healthy and productive, providing food and valuable natural resources for the world’s population now and in the future. 

This edition focuses on our work in the Middle East, we hope you find it informative. To subscribe for future editions please click here.  

Cefas opens new office at the British Embassy in Kuwait

Cefas officially opened its new office at the British Embassy in Kuwait on October 15th. In attendance was the in-country team of scientists, Cefas’ Operations Director Steve Millward, and the British Ambassador to Kuwait Michael Davenport.   

Since 2014 Cefas has had a permanent presence at the Embassy, working with the Kuwait Environment Public Authority (KEPA) to assess the health of the seas surrounding Kuwait City. Cefas and KEPA hope to shortly start work on a significant new joint project to develop an extensive understanding of Kuwait’s marine environment, which will improve and energise both national and regional ocean governance to protect the Gulfs’ marine ecosystems. This will help sustain regional food and water security and support sustainable economic growth and diversification. Utilising marine expertise within Cefas, the project will promote international best practice and address prominent issues including those of marine litter pollution and the protection of critically endangered species and habitats that are located within the Gulf. 

The British Ambassador in Kuwait said "the British Embassy warmly welcomes the expansion of the Cefas office in Kuwait, and we will continue to support Cefas as a key UK Government Agency, in providing technical assistance and support to our partners here in Kuwait.  As a proud maritime nation, the UK, like Kuwait, shares a long cultural and historical association with the sea, and understands the importance of it for social and economic development." 

UK-Gulf Marine Environment Partnership (UK-GMEP) Programme updates 

The UK-GMEP Programme builds on Cefas’ long standing collaboration with the Gulf which spans four decades, six countries, and two overseas offices.  

Through the UK-GMEP Programme Cefas is working with partner organisations in the Gulf to address the challenges of marine environmental management by strengthening regulation, developing the knowledge-base to inform management, and building capacity for long-term sustainable management.  

The programme focuses on five key areas: food security, sustainable development, human health, climate change, and marine conservation. 

Investigating the role of the marine environment in the development and spread of antibiotic resistance

It’s one of the biggest threats to global health, food security and development, and can affect anyone, of any age, in any country. But what role do our oceans play in the rising issue of antibiotic resistance?

The marine environment is a reservoir for antibiotic resistant bacteria, transported into our oceans through sewage, aquaculture discharge and agricultural runoff. But our oceans don't just harbour resistant bacteria, they may also enable its spread and development.

Cefas is working with partners across the Gulf, including King Saud bin Abdulaziz University Saudi Arabia, to improve our understanding of the role of Gulf in the development and spread of antibiotic resistance, otherwise known as antimicrobial resistance or AMR. A recent review by Cefas and partners identified that specific demographic and environmental factors make the Gulf a potential hotspot for the propagation and development of AMR.

Following on from this the team are preparing for an internationally coordinated survey of AMR in waters of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries of the Arabian Gulf, with the first water samples due to be collected by the end of the month. In addition to providing further information on the extent of AMR in the Gulf this study is one of the first attempts to conduct an internationally coordinated marine AMR sampling programme, which will provide valuable lessons for future studies.

Securing a brighter future for Oman’s fisheries and aquaculture industries 

Fisheries and aquaculture not only provide an important source of food, but they play a vital role in economic diversification and job creation. This has been recognised by the government of Oman who have identified fisheries and aquaculture as one of the five main pillars for national economic diversification. Effective and informed management is essential to sustainably develop this sector whilst avoiding the pitfalls of overfishing and aquatic disease.

Cefas helped the Oman Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) introduce fisheries management and aquaculture health management development programmes into the national economic diversification strategy. The ongoing collaboration is now working on the implementation of these programmes. Over the last year Cefas has worked with MAF to draft a revision to aquaculture bylaw, established a revised aquaculture disease surveillance programme, and provided training to MAF staff in aquatic disease diagnosis in both the UK and Oman.  

In the coming months the collaboration will broaden to consider fisheries management. Cefas staff will support the MAF to develop a sustainable management programme for the experimental horse mackerel fishery, a new pelagic fishery that Oman is seeking to establish in the northern Arabian Sea.

The Gulf marine environment prepares for the consequences of climate change 

Climate change will affect every ecosystem on the planet and will have a significant impact on the marine environment, the life it supports, and the role it plays in our lives.  To minimise and mitigate the effects of climate change Cefas’ centre of Excellence in Marine Climate Change are working with Gulf experts to explore the consequences of climate change, both today and in years to come. 

Cefas is working with ROPME, the Regional Organisation for the Protection of the Marine Environment, on issues related to marine climate change across the 8 countries that border the Gulf. This work will provide the ROPME member states with the evidence base and tools to prepare for the challenges of climate change that lie ahead, minimising the harm to the marine environment. 

Cefas is currently preparing a rapid regional marine climate change impact assessment for ROPME area and are looking forward to discussing a shared lessons and concerns with the 8 ROPME member states during a regional marine climate change meeting in November.  

Thank you for reading. Our next edition of Cefas International News will focus on South East Asia, to subscribe to future editions click here.