Dolphin. Photo: Express
KARACHI:
Despite the unusual green color of the sea caused by a seasonal marine phenomenon, Gwadar’s coastal waters remain rich in marine life, with pods of bottlenose dolphins recently spotted in the port city’s western bay.
According to a statement issued by WWF-Pakistan, a winter marine phenomenon known as Noctiluca bloom has caused widespread green discoloration of sea water along the entire coast of Pakistan, stretching from Karachi to Jiwani, with the phenomenon also extending to the coastal waters of Iran.
The bloom has turned the seawater deep green in several areas, especially around Gwadar.
Despite the dense green waters, the Gwadar Sea is still teeming with marine life. The WWF said the natural phenomenon has not disrupted fishing activity.
Local fisherman Ameer Dad Khan reported that in recent days, shrimp catches along the coast of Balochistan have been abundant and larger in size, indicating stable marine conditions.
Balochistan Marine Fisheries Director Ahmed Nadeem confirmed on Sunday morning that a large number of dolphins were observed in the western Gwadar Bay.
Commenting on the situation, WWF technical advisor Muhammad Moazzam Khan explained that these color changes in the sea are generally non-toxic and often increase marine productivity.
He said Noctiluca blooms only cause mortality in extreme cases. The condition, locally called in the Baloch language as “badd aab”, occurs periodically in the Arabian Sea, most frequently during the winter months.
However, he highlighted that fishing activity has not been affected and fishermen continue with their routine tasks without interruption.
Moazzam Khan said the sighting of bottlenose dolphins in the western Gwadar Bay was an encouraging sign, adding that it confirmed that the green condition of the sea has not adversely affected the marine biodiversity of the area.
