Middle Eastern Seas
249
be linked to the difficult environmental conditions or to
unusual processes of coral recruitment or settlement, is the
development of low diversity coral communities. In several
countries extensive communities, and sometimes even rudimentary reefs, occur which are monospecific or dominated
by only two, three or four coral species.
Further interest in this region comes from the biogeographic affinities of the coral communities themselves.
The Gulf of Aden and adjacent waters were not subjected
to drying out or hypersalinization during the Pleistocene,
and it is hypothesized that this area was a critical refuge for
some Red Sea species. At present this remains an area of
biological transition, or overlap, lying on the biogeographic
boundary between the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and the rest
of the Indian Ocean. Many of the species typically regarded
as endemic to the Red Sea, or to the Arabian Sea/Arabian
Gulf areas, are also found in the Gulf of Aden. While
considerable ftirther work is required to understand its
evolutionary and genetic processes, this remains a region of
considerable interest. In a few localities in the Gulf of Aden
species diversity, at least of reef-associated fishes, appears
to be extremely high, possibly higher than in any other part
of the Arabian region. The impacts of the 1998 bleaching
event appear to have been mi.xed: while widespread mortality has been recorded at some localities, others nearby
appear to have been largely unaffected.
Yemen
The Yemeni coast of the Gulf of Aden remains poorly
described, but recent studies have found a number of
interesting and important coral communities and some true
reefs, including around Al Mukalla, Bir Ali and Shuqra.
Some of these communities include wide areas of monospecific coral stands, notably of Pocilloponi and Moiuipora.
It was assumed, until the mid-1990s, that there were few
significant coral communities off the coast of Socotra, but
recent surveys have shown extensive areas of high live coral
cover. These are best developed on the northern reaches of
both Socotra and the neighboring islands, where some
240 hard coral species have been recorded, making them
among the most diverse reefs in the Indian Ocean region.
Widespread mortality of corals was reported at some
locations following the 1998 bleaching event, but other
locations showed little or no impacts and recovery, with
rapid growth of new recruits, was reported in 2000.
Human impacts on the reefs in Yemen are still
relatively minimal, other than from fishing. Much of the
coastline in southern Yemen is undeveloped, although
Aden is a major port, with associated pollution and
problems of solid waste disposal. The country is quite
reliant on fisheries, and has an active offshore pelagic
fishery in the Gulf of Aden. Illegal fishing by Yemeni boats
is also reported from northern Somalia. Reef fishing has
developed and is widespread around Socotra, including an
artisanal lobster fishery. Efforts are now underway to
develop a tourist industry on Socotra.
Djibouti
This country has some of the best developed reefs outside
the Red Sea, including fringing reef communities along
parts of the mainland coast, and fringing and platform
structures around the reefs and islands of Maskali and
Musha and the Sept Freres just south of the Bab el Mandeb.
Surveys in 1998 and 1999 described 167 coral species, while
K Djibouti W HI
General Data
Population (thousands!
i51
GDP (million US$1
493
Land area (km^l
21 638
Marine area (thousand km^l
7
Per capita fish consumption (kg/year|
3
Status and Threats
Reefs at risk (%l
100
Recorded coral diseases
Biodiversity
Reef area (km^)
A50
Coral diversity
69/325
Mangrove area (km^)
10
No. of mangrove species
1
No. of seagrass species
na
^^^^^^^
Oman
General Data
Population (thousands)
2 533
GDP (million US$)
16 298
Land area (km^l
2 328
Marine area (thousand km^j
539
Per capita fish consumption (kg/yearl
na
Status and Threats
Reefs at risk (%|
51
Recorded coral diseases
2
Biodiversity
Reef area [km^l
530
Coral diversity
71 /128
Mangrove area (km^l
20
No. of mangrove species
1
No. of seagrass species
na
249
be linked to the difficult environmental conditions or to
unusual processes of coral recruitment or settlement, is the
development of low diversity coral communities. In several
countries extensive communities, and sometimes even rudimentary reefs, occur which are monospecific or dominated
by only two, three or four coral species.
Further interest in this region comes from the biogeographic affinities of the coral communities themselves.
The Gulf of Aden and adjacent waters were not subjected
to drying out or hypersalinization during the Pleistocene,
and it is hypothesized that this area was a critical refuge for
some Red Sea species. At present this remains an area of
biological transition, or overlap, lying on the biogeographic
boundary between the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and the rest
of the Indian Ocean. Many of the species typically regarded
as endemic to the Red Sea, or to the Arabian Sea/Arabian
Gulf areas, are also found in the Gulf of Aden. While
considerable ftirther work is required to understand its
evolutionary and genetic processes, this remains a region of
considerable interest. In a few localities in the Gulf of Aden
species diversity, at least of reef-associated fishes, appears
to be extremely high, possibly higher than in any other part
of the Arabian region. The impacts of the 1998 bleaching
event appear to have been mi.xed: while widespread mortality has been recorded at some localities, others nearby
appear to have been largely unaffected.
Yemen
The Yemeni coast of the Gulf of Aden remains poorly
described, but recent studies have found a number of
interesting and important coral communities and some true
reefs, including around Al Mukalla, Bir Ali and Shuqra.
Some of these communities include wide areas of monospecific coral stands, notably of Pocilloponi and Moiuipora.
It was assumed, until the mid-1990s, that there were few
significant coral communities off the coast of Socotra, but
recent surveys have shown extensive areas of high live coral
cover. These are best developed on the northern reaches of
both Socotra and the neighboring islands, where some
240 hard coral species have been recorded, making them
among the most diverse reefs in the Indian Ocean region.
Widespread mortality of corals was reported at some
locations following the 1998 bleaching event, but other
locations showed little or no impacts and recovery, with
rapid growth of new recruits, was reported in 2000.
Human impacts on the reefs in Yemen are still
relatively minimal, other than from fishing. Much of the
coastline in southern Yemen is undeveloped, although
Aden is a major port, with associated pollution and
problems of solid waste disposal. The country is quite
reliant on fisheries, and has an active offshore pelagic
fishery in the Gulf of Aden. Illegal fishing by Yemeni boats
is also reported from northern Somalia. Reef fishing has
developed and is widespread around Socotra, including an
artisanal lobster fishery. Efforts are now underway to
develop a tourist industry on Socotra.
Djibouti
This country has some of the best developed reefs outside
the Red Sea, including fringing reef communities along
parts of the mainland coast, and fringing and platform
structures around the reefs and islands of Maskali and
Musha and the Sept Freres just south of the Bab el Mandeb.
Surveys in 1998 and 1999 described 167 coral species, while
K Djibouti W HI
General Data
Population (thousands!
i51
GDP (million US$1
493
Land area (km^l
21 638
Marine area (thousand km^l
7
Per capita fish consumption (kg/year|
3
Status and Threats
Reefs at risk (%l
100
Recorded coral diseases
Biodiversity
Reef area (km^)
A50
Coral diversity
69/325
Mangrove area (km^)
10
No. of mangrove species
1
No. of seagrass species
na
^^^^^^^
Oman
General Data
Population (thousands)
2 533
GDP (million US$)
16 298
Land area (km^l
2 328
Marine area (thousand km^j
539
Per capita fish consumption (kg/yearl
na
Status and Threats
Reefs at risk (%|
51
Recorded coral diseases
2
Biodiversity
Reef area [km^l
530
Coral diversity
71 /128
Mangrove area (km^l
20
No. of mangrove species
1
No. of seagrass species
na