KUWAIT CITY, Jan 11: The Kuwait Dive Team, affiliated with the Environmental Voluntary Foundation, has launched a large-scale environmental campaign to clean and rehabilitate Kuwait Bay, aiming to remove plastic waste, abandoned fishing nets, wooden debris, and sunken vessels, with the participation of government entities and volunteers.

Team leader Waleed Al-Fadhil told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on Sunday that the initiative responds urgently to the growing quantities of waste carried into the bay through rainwater drains, alongside repeated encroachments on the coastal environment. He warned that these pollutants pose a direct threat to the bay’s unique marine ecosystem.

Al-Fadhil said the team has prepared four boats, transport vehicles, and bulldozers for waste removal, in addition to diving equipment, marine navigation devices, and cleaning tools. He stressed that the campaign gains added importance as it coincides with the approach of spring, a period when Kuwait Bay serves as a global stopover for thousands of migratory birds and a critical natural nursery for fish and shrimp eggs. Maintaining its cleanliness is therefore vital for food security and ecological balance.

In cooperation with the Jahra Natural Reserve Administration of the Environment Public Authority, the team has already removed large quantities of discarded fishing nets and plastic waste from the reserve’s shores, in addition to clearing tons of debris from Ashairij and Doha coasts.

Al-Fadhil said the next phase of the campaign will focus on Umm Al-Nammal Island, the Al-Subiya area, the Free Zone coastline, and the hospital district. He urged citizens and residents to assist by monitoring and reporting environmental violations.

He also called on seagoers and nature enthusiasts to protect wildlife, avoid disturbing migratory birds, and comply with fishing bans inside the bay. Al-Fadhil highlighted the dangers of prohibited fishing nets, or “ghost nets,” which devastate fish stocks and damage the seabed for years. He also called for the urgent removal of abandoned and moored vessels in Ashairij, citing their negative impact on the landscape, navigation safety, coastal soil, and pollution levels.

Al-Fadhil thanked the supporting government agencies and emphasized that coordinated institutional and community efforts are essential to preserve Kuwait Bay as a national environmental heritage for future generations.

Kuwait Bay cleanup campaign targets plastic and abandoned nets.

Kuwait Bay cleanup campaign targets plastic and abandoned nets.

Kuwait Dive Team launches campaign to clean Kuwait Bay.

Kuwait Bay cleanup campaign targets plastic and abandoned nets.