Kuwaiti Diving Team Launches Campaign in Kuwait Bay on World Environment Day

The Kuwaiti diving team at the Environmental Volunteer Foundation announced on Saturday the launch of an environmental campaign to clean the Kuwait Gulf, as part of its continued intensive field efforts to purify the gulf and the country’s coasts from all pollutants, coinciding with the World Cleanup Day.

Waleed Al-Fadl, the team’s head and chairman of the board of directors of the Environmental Volunteer Foundation, told the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that this global environmental event, which falls tomorrow, Sunday, September 20, brings together millions of volunteers to protect nature on coasts and beaches from the dangers of plastic and waste that threaten both marine life and humans.

Al-Fadl added that since its establishment in 1986, the team has placed the protection of the marine environment and the security of maritime navigation among its top priorities. It has succeeded in salvaging hundreds of sunken boats and ships, and removing hundreds of tons of waste and abandoned fishing nets (“ghost nets”), which pose a serious threat to the safety of vessels and destroy sensitive ecosystems, particularly the unique coral reef sites in Kuwait.

He clarified that the team works in a coordinated manner with relevant government authorities to clean Kuwait’s coasts and remove waste from the Kuwait Gulf, whether along the shores of Ashirij and Salwa, or by cleaning the natural reserve in Al-Jahra, in cooperation with the reserve’s administration under the Public Authority for Environmental Affairs.

He noted that these natural sites, which witness heavy passage of migratory birds or the presence of endemic species, are a fundamental pillar of global ecological balance and a safety valve for biodiversity. They also serve as a vibrant artery connecting the world’s continents through complex migration routes that ensure the continuity and integrity of ecosystems.

He mentioned that the Kuwait Gulf represents an environmental and historical heritage, and is the main resource and primary supplier for the country’s water desalination and power generation plants, making it the core driver of infrastructure and industrial and developmental activities.

He said that the gulf and its surrounding areas host the most important ports and commercial waterways, and represent a vital maritime hub for import and export movements, shipbuilding, and logistics services that link Kuwait to regional and global markets.

He added that the gulf is classified as the second-largest fish and shrimp nursery in the world, making it a natural reservoir of aquatic wealth and a primary source for supporting the local fishing sector and ensuring national food security.

He explained that the northern areas of the gulf, such as the Subayya region, open up promising investment opportunities through sustainable development projects, eco-tourism, and leveraging the area’s unique geological and historical assets to activate the tourism and entertainment sectors.

He affirmed that the team’s vision is to achieve a Kuwaiti sea completely free of waste, noting that this serious environmental work reflects the core objectives upon which the team was founded, which always seek to stimulate and encourage a culture of volunteerism among members of Kuwaiti society across various fields, and to transform environmental responsibility into a sustainable societal behavior.

Al-Fadl praised the efforts of all volunteers and supporting entities, and reiterated the call to beachgoers and fishermen to strictly comply with environmental laws and avoid discarding nets and plastic waste, in order to ensure the safety of the marine environment and the sustainability of its resources for future generations.