Emirati environmental rescue ship `Jion Ship`

Arabia Weather - The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi assumes a leading role in protecting marine biodiversity and confronting the effects of climate change. Part of these efforts is to provide an advanced scientific platform that meets marine research needs both locally and globally. The marine research vessel “Jiyun”, developed by the Authority, is considered a pioneering technological achievement, as it contributes to the implementation of several environmental initiatives.

Among these initiatives, the Blue Carbon Assessment for Ocean Fisheries project stands out. This project aims to conduct the first ocean blue carbon assessment survey for fisheries in the region. This effort comes in support of the UAE's strategic initiative to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

Environmental rescue ship

The Jiyun ship has the ability to conduct comprehensive marine surveys, including basic deep-water marine environmental surveys, fishery resource assessment surveys, coral and seagrass habitat surveys, marine water and sediment quality studies, and marine biology surveys.

The first phase of the survey assessing fish resources in UAE waters was completed last September. The ship also completed the first comprehensive acoustic survey of fish resources in the country's waters, using the latest technologies to examine underwater ecosystems and assess the numbers and distribution of marine life.

"Gion" ship

The Jion ship has the ability to conduct acoustic surveys of fish resources, which helps in estimating and distributing fish populations in the sea. Analysis of the data collected allows an understanding of the size, density and location of fish populations, which contributes to assessing the health and condition of fish stocks in the region and enhancing sustainable fisheries management efforts.

The successful completion of the first phase of the Fisheries Resources Assessment Survey is a major achievement and represents an important step in preserving the marine environment in the UAE. The valuable data collected by the Jiyun vessel thanks to the specialized efforts of its team of citizens will provide essential support for making informed decisions on sustainable management of fisheries resources and increasing fish stocks, enhancing food security and maintaining the diversity of fish species.

The ship "Jiyun" is an advanced research platform equipped with the latest scientific technologies. Its equipment includes a remotely operated vehicle and trawling equipment, as well as seafloor mapping and sonar equipment. This equipment offers great potential for comprehensive surveys and analysis of the marine environment.

The ship contains six different laboratories, including a fisheries laboratory, an acoustic laboratory, a chemical analysis laboratory, a biophysics laboratory, a sampling laboratory, and an air quality laboratory. These laboratories allow the research team to conduct specialized studies in various fields related to the marine environment and fish resources.

It is also noted that the ship features high fuel efficiency and effective hydrodynamic performance, which contributes to achieving the UAE’s goals in the field of environmental protection and biodiversity, and contributes to combating climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

The role of the ship "Jiwon" in developing strategic plans to ensure the recovery and sustainability of fish stocks lies in its ability to carry out advanced surveys and research to understand and protect the marine environment and biodiversity. These surveys include monitoring marine habitats such as seagrass and coral reefs, and assessing marine water quality using advanced equipment.

It allows the ship to conduct biodiversity surveys and identify sites vital for biodiversity conservation. Various technologies such as ship equipment, salinity and temperature sensors, plankton nets and sediment samplers are also used to collect data at different depths. These data contribute to setting priorities for conserving the marine environment and biodiversity and developing sustainable fisheries management strategies.

The Jiwon fishery resource assessment survey is essential for understanding and assessing the status of fish stocks in the region. This survey involves collecting data on stock size, and comparing this data with previous surveys to provide updated estimates. A DNA baseline for major fish species is also established, which helps determine genetic diversity and study the genome sequences of different species. These operations rely on environmental data collection techniques and the use of underwater sound wave techniques.

Source: aletihad