Shark and ray baselines using eDNA in Bahrain
With almost nothing known about shark populations in Bahrain, Reem is on a mission to work out elasmobranch communities: their distribution, species composition, seasonality and potential nursery areas. She’s doing so using eDNA to fill in any gaps left by planned baited remote underwater video system (BRUVs) and fish market surveys. She also hopes to use the project to unite a range of stakeholders, as it is part of a wider project that involves local communities through citizen science. The aim is to create a platform that provides infrastructure and capacity for shark conservation, a first for Bahrain.
Reem AlMealla
I come from a tiny island nation (the third smallest in Asia) called Bahrain, which is situated in the hottest sea on the planet and is an archipelago made up of 33 natural islands. Growing up, I spent my days running up and down the shore, always drawn to the sea. My connection with the ocean led me to pursue an undergraduate degree in marine biology at the University of Essex. While there, I had the opportunity to volunteer as a research assistant in South Africa, where I learned to dive in Sodwana Bay. It was there that...
Investigating the Distribution, Composition & Seasonality of Shark Species in the Kingdom of Bahrain
Our key objective is to determine the distribution of elasmobranch communities. Our use of eDNA to detect sharks is complemented by planned fish market surveys and the use of BRUV (baited remote underwater video) systems.
The Arabian Gulf is among the largest exporters of shark fins in the world, but little is known about shark populations in Bahraini waters. Regional studies have recorded the presence of critically endangered great hammerheads, halavi guitarfish and green sawfish in the area. Our project will provide decision-makers with the data on shark seasonality and distribution required to drive a national conservation policy that will protect and conserve these species.
The Arabian Peninsula is one of the main suppliers for the shark-fin market, and some of its nations have been ranked among the world’s top 20 shark-catching countries for more than a decade. Not much is known about shark populations specific to Bahrain, the third smallest country in Asia and the only island nation in the Arabian Gulf. What little is known is bad news as, according to fish market studies, the decline in the number of sharks is about 58%. To be able to protect and manage elasmobranch populations, data are required. In 2024, the research and conservation organisation Nuwat initiated one of the first shark conservation projects in Bahraini waters. Our project aims to provide decision-makers with information about the seasonality, distribution and potential nursery areas of these endangered species in Bahrain to better inform conservation and management actions. Alongside planned baited underwater camera surveys at selected sites around Bahrain, our project will use eDNA techniques to detect elasmobranch communities that are potentially missed in fish market and BRUV surveys. Given the paucity of information about shark populations in Bahrain, this research provides an invaluable tool for the management and conservation of these highly vulnerable populations. In addition, the project brings together a broad range of stakeholders, as it is part of a wider project that involves local communities through citizen science and serves as a platform to provide the core infrastructure and capacity building necessary for shark conservation – a first for marine research in Bahrain.
- To determine the distribution of elasmobranch communities using eDNA.
- To determine the composition and seasonality of elasmobranch species.
- To investigate the possible role of pre-selected habitats as shark nursery grounds in Bahrain.