The research vessel “Jenan” has started its research journey to study the state of the marine environment in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has commenced work on a program to monitor the marine environment in Qatar through the research vessel “Jenan.” The vessel has embarked on its research expedition to study the state of the marine environment in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in collaboration with the Environmental Sciences Center at Qatar University.
The Environmental Monitoring and Inspection Department at the ministry oversees the program. The maritime journey of the research vessel spans three days, involving a research team comprised of specialists and researchers from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and Qatar University. This team conducts monitoring and research operations focusing on assessing the quality of the marine environment.
Dr. Mai Mohamed Al-Ghanim, Head of the Water Quality Section at the Environmental Monitoring and Inspection Department, mentioned that the expedition aims to collect samples of seabed sediment and seawater from specific locations. This collection is intended to measure key environmental variables in physics and chemistry, such as water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen saturation, and turbidity. Additionally, samples of plant plankton will be gathered using nets along the entire depth of the water column, from the seafloor to the surface. The research team will classify these organisms and identify their species.
Mr. Abdullah Al-Khalefi, Assistant Director of the Environmental Monitoring and Inspection Department, emphasized the significance of this research expedition and its impact on understanding the marine environment in Qatar. He highlighted the importance of monitoring environmental variables—biological, chemical, and physical—and specific indicators of the marine environment’s condition. He mentioned that during this expedition, seawater samples from various depths and locations far from the shore within Qatar’s waters will be collected. This approach differs from previous programs that gathered samples near the coastline.
Mr. Abdullah Al-Khalefi further added that this expedition will yield precise results regarding the marine environment in Qatar. Additionally, it will involve studying environmental elements such as soil, shallow coastal waters, and deep regional waters. The results and variables obtained from this research expedition will be compared with those from other marine programs conducted by the Environmental Monitoring and Inspection Department at the ministry.
It’s worth mentioning that the vessel “Jenan” is equipped with cutting-edge specialized equipment and tools for marine research. It boasts specialized laboratories capable of instantly monitoring environmental variables. Additionally, it houses a highly skilled technical team with extensive experience in this field from the Environmental Sciences Center at Qatar University, working alongside the research team from the Environmental Monitoring and Inspection Department.
