Retrospective of the collaboration between the Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management Society and Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research

Abstract

The Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management Society (AEHMS) has a history of involvement in the study of aquatic ecosystems in the Arabian Gulf Region, and has been actively involved in various activities there for over a decade. For example, the Society was instrumental in conducting sediment toxicity assessment training workshops for the staff and students at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR). This collaboration extended in the formation of a working group whose mission was to publish the first comprehensive peer-reviewed book (The Gulf Ecosystem: Health and Sustainability; Khan et al., 2002) which was sponsored by KISR.The cooperation between KISR and AEHMS continued and resulted in the convening of the GULF II conference “The State of the Gulf Ecosystem: Functioning and Services” in 2011. We worked very closely in the organization of the conference and the resulting publication of a special issue of the Journal, Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management (“Changing Gulf Ecosystem: Ecology, Health and Management,” AEHM, 2012). Based on the input received it could be concluded that the GULF II conference in Kuwait was productive and highly successful. It included almost 60 oral presentations, 36 posters and 7 keynote speeches. KISR and its staff enjoyed working with the AEHMS and its secretariat, and the collaboration produced excellent results.I’d like to congratulate the AEHMS, its staff, as well as the Executive Committee for their promotion of ecosystem based science in the Middle East, as well as for their hard work to conserve aquatic resources globally.