Pod of dolphins spotted off Gwadar

WWF-Pakistan says Noctiluca bloom has not harmed marine life

KARACHI:

Despite the unusual green colour of the sea caused by a seasonal marine phenomenon, the coastal waters of Gwadar remain rich in marine life, with pods of bottlenose dolphins recently sighted in the western bay of the port city.

According to a statement issued by WWF-Pakistan, a winter marine occurrence known as the Noctiluca bloom has led to widespread green discolouration of seawater across Pakistan’s coastline, stretching from Karachi to Jiwani, with the phenomenon also extending into the coastal waters of Iran.

The bloom has turned the seawater a deep green in several areas, particularly around Gwadar.

Despite the dense green water, the sea in Gwadar remains teeming with marine life. The WWF said the natural phenomenon has not disrupted fishing activity.

Local fisherman Ameer Dad Khan reported that over the past few days, shrimp catches along the Balochistan coast have been abundant and larger in size, indicating stable marine conditions.

Balochistan Director Marine Fisheries Ahmed Nadeem confirmed on Sunday morning that a large number of dolphins were observed in Gwadar’s western bay.

Commenting on the situation, WWF technical adviser Muhammad Moazzam Khan explained that such colour-changing events in the sea are generally non-toxic and often increase marine productivity.

He said Noctiluca blooms only cause mortality in extreme cases. The condition, locally referred to in the Balochi language as “badd aab”, occurs periodically in the Arabian Sea, with a higher frequency during the winter months.

However, he stressed that fishing activity has not been affected and fishermen continue their routine operations without interruption.

Moazzam Khan said the sighting of bottlenose dolphins in the western bay of Gwadar was an encouraging sign, adding that it confirmed the green sea condition has not adversely affected the area’s marine biodiversity.