Kuwaiti Waters Research Articles

Age, growth, and reproductive parameters of four species of sea catfish (Siluriformes: Ariidae) from Kuwaiti waters

Age, growth, spawning season, and fecundity of four species of sea catfish inhabiting the northern Arabian (Persian) Gulf were investigated. These species constitute major bycatches of shrimp trawling and with lesser percentages in other fishing gears such as gill nets, gargoor traps, and hook and line setups, and most of these bycatches are eventually discarded. The most abundant catfish species found are Plicofollis tenuispinis and Netuma bilineata, while two other species, Netuma thalassina and Plicofollis dussumieri, are found in lower abundance. Length–otolith weight distribution showed a truncation in N. bilineata, which might indicate the presence of two sub-populations within Kuwait waters. Transverse sections of lapilli otoliths showed that annuli deposition occurs during the months of April and May. The von Bertalanffy parameters estimated for the four species showed that females of P. tenuispinis grow faster than males. Two presumptive sub-populations of N. bilineata inhabiting Kuwait waters showed a low growth rate population (K=0.27 y−1) and a higher growth rate population (K=0.35 y−1). The growth rate of N. thalassina was moderate (K=0.30 y−1), while the growth rate of P. dussumieri was relatively higher (K=0.34 y−1). The peak spawning season of the three major catfish species was from March to May, and data on fecundity and its relationship with body weight is presented. The fecundity of catfish species is low as is their market demand. However, the impact of shrimp trawling on the catfish population, as discarded bycatch, can have increasingly detrimental effects that on the overall population size and diversity of this population.

Distribution and diversity of eukaryotic microalgae in Kuwait waters assessed using 18S rRNA gene sequencing.

The microbial communities play a crucial role in ecosystem functioning through interactions among individuals and taxonomic groups in a highly dynamic marine ecosystem. The structure and functioning of the microbial communities are often influenced by the changes in the surrounding environment. Monitoring the microbial diversity of the marine ecosystem helps to understand spatial patterns of microbial community and changes due to season, climate, and various drivers of biological diversity. Kuwait is characterized by an arid environment with a high degree of temperature variation during summer and winter. Our understanding of spatial distribution patterns of microbial communities, their diversity, and the influence of human activities on the degree of changes in the diversity of the microbial community in Kuwait territorial waters remain unclear. In this study, we employed 18S rRNA sequencing to explore marine microalgal community composition and dynamics in seawater samples collected from Kuwait waters over two seasonal cycles across six locations. A total of 448,184 sequences across 36 replicates corresponding to 12 samples from six stations were obtained. The quality-filtered sequences were clustered into 1,293 representative sequences, which were then classified into different eukaryotic taxa. This study reveals that the phytoplankton community in Kuwait waters is diverse and shows significant variations among different taxa during summer and winter. Dinoflagellates and diatoms were the most abundant season-dependent microalgae taxa in Kuwait waters. Alexandrium and Pyrophacus were abundant in summer, whereas Gonyaulax was abundant during the winter. The abundance of Coscinodiscus and Navicula, of the diatom genera, were also dependent upon both seasonal and possible anthropogenic factors. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of a sequencing-based approach, which could be used to improve the accuracy of quantitative eukaryotic microbial community profiles.

Alleviating Growth and Recruitment Overfishing through Simple Management Changes: Insights from an Overexploited Long‐Lived Fish

AbstractGrowth and recruitment overfishing can co‐occur when a fishery is subjecting small and immature fish in conjunction with adult fish to excessive exploitation rates such that it reduces the spawning biomass to the point where recruitment is significantly impaired. Such conditions are generally evident in open‐access fisheries and are especially detrimental to long‐lived species as they reach maturity at older ages. Here, we investigate the conditions of a long‐lived lutjanid, Malabar Blood Snapper Lutjanus malabaricus, in Kuwait waters, for which catches declined by about 95% between 1995 and 2009 with negligible recovery afterward, yet exploitation rates are likely high and remain hardly regulated. Using an age‐structured model and length and age distributions for over 47,000 Malabar Blood Snapper, we (1) underscore the impacts of recruitment and growth overfishing on fish biomass and catch and (2) demonstrate the efficacy of improving the size limit policy to address both issues. The proportion of small fish (length‐classes <50 cm; age‐classes = 1–4 years) in the catch rose from 40–50% in 1981 to over 70% between 1992 and 1998, indicating growth overfishing. Due to the selection of immature fish at high exploitation rates, the age‐structured model showed that recruitment dropped virtually linearly with decreasing biomass by the mid‐1990s, implying recruitment overfishing. Future scenarios show that by increasing the current mean age at vulnerability (1 year or 34 cm) to the age at first maturity (5 years or 61 cm), biomass and catch would increase by at least 300% and 130%, respectively, relative to status quo. Biomass would rebuild to higher levels if exploitation rates are regulated at sustainable levels. Our study highlights the importance of simple management changes in alleviating both types of overfishing, particularly when open‐access conditions cannot be rapidly remedied due to weak management institutions.

Harmful diatoms and dinoflagellates in the Indian Ocean: a study from Southern coast of Sri Lanka

Harmful diatoms and dinoflagellates in the Indian Ocean: a study from Southern coast of Sri Lanka

Landing, consumption, and DNA barcoding of commercial seabream (Perciformes: Sparidae) in Kuwait

Abstract To our knowledge, this is the first inclusive assessment of the status of Sparidae fisheries in the territorial waters of Kuwait, integrating information on catch trends, consumer preferences, recreational fishing behaviour, and molecular based identification of fish species by DNA barcoding Fisheries landing data were obtained from the official fisheries bulletin released by the Kuwait Central Statistical Bureau. Surveys were conducted to assess consumer preferences on seabream species, landed seabream species, and the behaviour of recreational anglers towards seabream species. DNA barcodes were generated to authenticate commercial seabream using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COXI) gene and then compared with GenBank sequence entries; these sequences were then used to construct a neighbour‐joining (NJ) phylogenetic tree. Yellowfin seabream Acanthopagrus latus was the prime and most favoured commercial seabream species (45%), followed by Sparidentex hasta, which was the top‐rated secondary, unassessed seabream species. Approximately 54% of households conduct recreational fishing more than twice a month, and most (77%) primarily target S. hasta and Ac. latus. Consumer demand for secondary seabreams, which were not assessed and are listed in the bulletin under the category ‘others’, was evident. The NJ phylogenetic tree revealed that Arabian Gulf seabreams, including those of Kuwait, are genetically different from their counterparts inhabiting neighbouring waters. The data presented here highlight the urgency to modify the existing fisheries list using accurate identification tools, such as DNA barcoding, for the sustainable and conservation‐oriented management of local fisheries, which are in decline.

Unraveling the Karenia selliformis complex with the description of a non-gymnodimine producing Patagonian phylotype

Karenia selliformis is a bloom-forming toxic dinoflagellate known for production of gymnodimines (GYMs) and causing mass mortalities of marine fauna. Blooms have been reported from coastal waters of New Zealand, Mexico, Tunisia, Kuwait, Iran, China and Chile. Based on molecular phylogeny, morphology, toxin production, pigment composition and cell growth of Chilean K. selliformis isolated in 2018 (CREAN_KS01 and CREAN_KS02), this study revealed a more complex diversity within this species than previously thought. A phylogenetic reconstruction based on the large sub-unit ribosomal nucleotide (LSU rDNA) and Internal Transcriber Spacer (ITS) sequences of 12 worldwide isolates showed that within the K. selliformis clade there are at least two different phylotypes with clear phenotypic differences. Morphological differences related to the dorsal-ventral compression, shape of the hyposome and the presence of pores on the left lobe of the hyposome. A comparison of pigment signatures among worldwide isolates revealed the existence of both acyl-oxyfucoxanthin and fucoxanthin-rich strains within the phylotypes. A LC-MS/MS screening on both Chilean 2018 K. selliformis strains showed for first time no GYMs production among cultured clones of this species. However, both CREAN_KS01 and CREAN_KS02 contained two compounds with the same mass transition as brevenal, a brevetoxin related compound. A fish gill cell-based assay showed that the CREAN_KS02 strain was highly cytotoxic but pure GYM standard did not exhibit loss of cell viability, even at cell concentrations equivalent or exceeding those reported in nature. The fatty acid profile of CREAN_KS02 included high levels of saturated (14:0; 16:0) and polyunsaturated (18:3ω6+18:5ω3; 22:6ω3) fatty acids but superoxide production in this strain was low (0.86±0.53 pmol O2− cell−1 h−1). A factorial T-S growth experiment using the CREAN_KS02 strain showed a μmax of 0.41±0.03 d−1 at high salinity and temperature, which points to its optimal environmental niche in offshore waters during the summer season. In conclusion, the present study provides evidence for significant genetic and phenotypic variability among worldwide isolates, which points to the existence of a K. selliformis “species complex”. The massive fauna mortality during K. selliformis bloom events in the Chilean coast cannot be explained by GYMs nor brevetoxins, but can to a large extent be accounted for by the high production of long-chain PUFAs and/or still uncharacterized highly toxic compounds.

Decadal changes in diversity and occurrence of microalgal blooms in the NW Arabian/Persian Gulf

Kuwait's marine area, located at the far north-western corner of the Arabian/Persian Gulf, is under significant and diverse anthropogenic effects, which are exacerbated by climatic changes. Microalgal blooms occur in Kuwait's waters year round and are caused by proliferation of microalgae, cyanobacteria, and photosynthetic ciliates. The diverse assemblage of potentially toxic diatoms and dinoflagellates known elsewhere to cause syndromes of human poisoning was revealed in Kuwait's marine environment. A wide range of potentially harmful microalgae that can be associated with mortality of marine biota, including known ichthyotoxic dinoflagellates, raphidophycean and haptophyte flagellates, were observed routinely in Kuwait's waters. The chronological overview of recorded algal bloom events indicates that Kuwait's marine environment is increasingly affected by harmful algal blooms (HABs). Both toxic and high biomass blooms were associated with fish mortality in Kuwait's coastal waters. Most of algal blooms occurred during the warm periods in spring and autumn, whereas fish mortality events linked to high biomass blooms mainly during the hot summer season. Long-term variability in occurrence and composition of phytoplankton blooms in Kuwait's waters was largely governed by alteration of dissolved inorganic nitrogen to phosphorus stoichiometric ratio.

Sustainable Policy for Water Pricing in Kuwait

This research investigates consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for water in Kuwait as a foundation for policy decisions on reducing water subsidies. Heavy subsidies have encouraged unsustainable very high consumption, but efforts to cut subsidies can generate strong political opposition. A survey (n = 443) indicates that WTP is greater at lower prices, but resistance is not purely about price. The presence of a continued partial water subsidy for basic household use slightly increases WTP, probably mainly from perceptions of fairness. Information about Kuwait’s water scarcity also has a small impact. All of these effect sizes are small, so we discuss these issues using a nudge framework from behavioral economics. A number of policies can foster small shifts in WTP; collectively they may have larger impact and make subsidy reduction relatively painless.

Modern Benthic Foraminiferal Diversity: An Initial Insight into the Total Foraminiferal Diversity along the Kuwait Coastal Water

Kuwait territorial water hosts an important part of national biodiversity (i.e., zooplankton and phytoplankton), but very limited information exists on the overall diversity of benthic foraminifera. On the basis of the integration of publications, reports and theses with new available data from the Kuwait Bay and the northern islands, this study infers the total benthic foraminiferal diversity within Kuwait territorial water. This new literature survey documents the presence of 451 species belonging to 156 genera, 64 families, 31 superfamilies and 9 orders. These values are relatively high in consideration of the limited extension and the shallow depth of the Kuwait territorial water. Kuwait waters offer a variety of different environments and sub-environments (low salinity/muddy areas in the northern part, embayment, rocky tidal flats, coral reef systems, islands and shelf slope) that all together host largely diversified benthic foraminiferal communities. These figures are herein considered as underestimated because of the grouping of unassigned species due to the lack of reference collections and materials, as well as the neglection of the soft-shell monothalamids (‘allogromiids’).

Marine life mortalities and Harmful Algal Blooms in the Northern Arabian Gulf

Kuwait, which is located in the northwestern Arabian Gulf, has experienced several incidences of marine life mortality during the past two decades. Mortalities included pelagic and benthic fish, Sea Cucumbers and Mollusks including pearl oysters. Most of the mortalities occurred in Kuwait Bay, which is shallow and semi-enclosed. The Bay encompasses Sulaibikhat Bay, whose coastal waters are nutrient-rich and eutrophicated due to sewage discharge into its waters. Other mortalities were reported outside Kuwait Bay, especially in marinas and southern waters of Kuwait. Kuwait’s marine environment has been increasingly affected by harmful algal blooms, which increased by frequency and severity. Other Gulf countries experienced serious mortality incidences as well. Different causes were responsible for the different marine mortalities in Kuwait and the region, including untreated sewage input, eutrophication, bacterial infection, algal blooms, hypoxic conditions, pollution, and dredging. The above mortalities impacted the economy, and affected aquaculture activities, the fishing operations, coastal tourism, damaged coral reefs, and forced the closure of desalination plants. This study summarizes the different mortality incidents that occurred in the northwestern Arabian Gulf during the period of 1999 to 2019 and their possible causes. Efforts, taken by Kuwait to improve the environmental conditions of the degraded coastal area of Kuwait Bay, include for example, the designation of a marine protected area in southern Kuwait Bay that would ensure the continued production of ecological services of the protected Bay area.

The effect of temperature and storage time on the migration of antimony from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into commercial bottled water in Kuwait.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a safe material used widely in manufacturing plastic water bottles. However, recent studies have linked PET with Antimony which poses both acute and chronic health effects. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of storage and temperature on the amount of antimony leached to the bottled water. Three brands of bottled water were used for this analysis. Samples were stored at 25°C for three months to examine the storage duration on antimony levels. To examine the effect of temperature on antimony levels, samples were stored at -5°C, 25°C and 50°C for 24 hours, respectively. To investigate the duel effect of both temperature and time on antimony levels, samples from one brand were heated at 50°C for 7 days. Antimony analysis was conducted using a Thermo Electron Element 2 single-collector double-focusing magnetic sector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Results showed that there were no statistical differences of antimony concentrations before and after storage at room temperature. Heating samples to 50°C increased the antimony concentrations to 8.530 ppb and 16.8 ppb in 24 hours and 7 days, respectively. Although the range of Antimony concentrations in the bottled waters is well below WHO maximum contaminant level if stored at room temperature, inappropriate and prolonged storage of plastic bottles may lead to exceed the maximum contaminant level of 6 ppb. The data collected from this study can be useful to plastic bottle manufacturers for setting a safe storage temperature for PET bottles.(www.actabiomedica.it)

Impact of activated sludge bulking and foaming on the quality of Kuwait’s irrigation water

Treated municipal wastewater produced in Kuwait is used mainly in agricultural and landscape irrigations. However, there are strong doubts that severe sludge bulking and foaming problems, particularly during winter seasons, may render this water unsuitable for irrigation purposes. To assess the impact of these problems on the quality of irrigation water in Kuwait, samples of secondary and tertiary effluents and sludge-mixed liquor were collected weekly from two wastewater treatment plants for nine months. Routine wastewater quality parameters were then determined for the collected influent and effluent samples. Further, dominant filamentous bacteria in the sludge-mixed liquor samples collected from the aeration tanks were also identified and quantified using a molecular method called Vermicon Identification Technology (VIT). Obtained results of the effluents’ qualities were then statistically analyzed and compared to Kuwait’s irrigation water standards. Statistical results indicated that secondary effluents were greatly impacted by sludge bulking and foaming problems, while tertiary effluents were slightly affected. This finding highlights the importance of having tertiary treatment units in plants to encounter sludge bulking and foaming problems.

The illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in Kuwait: Problems and solutions

Kuwait is a country with an emerging economy that could benefit hugely from investment in its marine fisheries production. However, the country is constrained by several problems which affect the health of its coastal fish stocks. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is the most serious of these problems because it reduces fish stock levels. In this study, we analyze IUU fishing in Kuwaiti waters, and assess its impact on fish stock levels and consequent damage to the marine economy and environment, as well as its implications for the security system and the integrity of governance in the country. The research methods used in this study include key informant interviews, information obtained from some illegal fishers themselves, documentary data collected from Kuwaiti public authorities, and peer-reviewed literature. . The main finding of the study is that IUU fishing in Kuwaiti waters not only threatens the health of the country's marine fish biomass but raises questions about Kuwait's immigration policy, the effectiveness of its border controls, and the way its decision-making processes are manipulated by groups who influence decision-making and large private companies which break fishing.

Arid ecosystem resilience to total petroleum hydrocarbons disturbance: A case‐study from the State of Kuwait associated with the Second Gulf War

AbstractThe world's largest hydrocarbon disturbance occurred in the deserts and offshore waters of Kuwait during the Second Gulf War in 1990–1991. In this research, remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) techniques were utilized to explore how native desert vegetation has recovered from hydrocarbon contamination after the Second Gulf War. By using RS techniques, change detection analysis was conducted to understand the changes about the coverage and extent of the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) contamination and vegetation recovery. These changes were traced from 1991 until the hydrocarbon was no longer visible on the ground surface in 1998. GIS spatial analysis was conducted to determine the major ecosystem factors that influenced the vegetation recovery along with the removal of hydrocarbon disturbance. According to the results, autogenic recovery occurred at both sites within a few years and that desert native vegetation was found to have the ability to adapt and recover from hydrocarbon pollution. Native vegetation recovered across 31% of the TPH‐contaminated areas at Umm Gudair and 34% at Wadi Al Batin. The changes in TPH contamination were significantly correlated with the soil type, vegetation type, geological substrates, geomorphological features, and annual precipitation. The vegetation recovery of dominant desert communities in the study area was influenced by soil type, geomorphological feature, and TPH‐contaminated areas. Interestingly, the results showed that these desert communities can recover in areas contaminated by TPH at a higher rate than noncontaminated sites in the study area. Such a study can provide important inputs to the restoration and revegetation programs in arid landscapes.

The extreme waves in Kuwaiti territorial waters using measured data

The extreme significant sea wave height, swell wave height and total wave height were determined for return periods of 10, 25, 50, and 100 years for seven stations in Kuwaiti territorial waters based on measured data. The measured wave data was obtained from Kuwait Meteorological Department of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The extreme wave analysis was carried out using Gumbel and Weibull distribution methods. It was noticed that the Weibull distribution is a better fit to the measured wave heights in Kuwaiti territorial waters. The result of the extreme significant sea wave height for 100-year return period ranges between 3.24 and 3.99 m, while there is a large variation in the extreme significant swell wave height, which ranges between 2.31 and 4.55 m. Furthermore, the extreme significant total wave height varies from 3.37 to 4.25 m among these seven stations in Kuwaiti waters. The comparison between the present study and the prediction of the extreme wave heights based on hindcasted data by Neelamani et al. (2007) shows closer correlation of the results, except for the North West part, where there are some noticeable differences in the results. The present study is important for optimal design of marine structures and coastal infrastructure development of Kuwaiti islands.

Distribution and Nature of <i>Sargassum</i> Species in the Kuwait Waters

Kuwait coast, which is known for its luxuriant growth of a diverse assemblage of seaweeds on the Arabian Gulf, is found to have abundant quantities of Sargassum species being drifted and washed ashore every year. The present study aimed to assess the quantitative survey, and temporal variations of Sargassum species in Kuwait waters between January to April 2015. Species composition of samples collected from different areas in Kuwait (North, Middle, South waters) reveal that Sargassum algae have localization nature. The most abundant species of Sargassum in Kuwait waters were identified as S. anguistifolium, whereas the least abundant species was identified as S. aquifolium. It has been noticed that there is obvious localization nature for some of these species.

Seasonal variations in proximate and fatty acid composition of sobaity sea bream (Sparidentex hasta) in Kuwait waters

AbstractThe objective of the study was to investigate the seasonal variations in proximate and fatty acid composition of wild sobaity (Sparidentex hasta) for a one-year period during (i) pre-spawning (October–December), (ii) spawning (January–March), (iii) post-spawning (April–June) and summer (July–September). Five male and five female fish were collected from market each month and used for the study. Skinless fillets from both sides of sobaity were taken, chopped, minced, frozen and freeze dried. Freeze-dried ground male and female fish samples were pooled separately and homogenized for proximate composition and fatty acid analysis. The results of the investigation showed that the muscle proximate composition and fatty acid profile of sobaity differed significantly (P < 0.05) among different seasons with the highest muscle lipid during the pre-spawning and spawning season. Palmitic acid (C16:0) was the most dominant muscle fatty acid followed by oleic acid (C18:1n-9). The muscle docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6n-3) levels in pre-spawning and spawning seasons were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those in other seasons. A good n-3/n-6 ratio (2.26–3.11) and the higher DHA levels (10.16–11.47%) observed in muscles during the pre-spawning and spawning season indicated a better nutritional value of sobaity at this time of the year.

High total organic carbon in surface waters of the northern Arabian Gulf: Implications for the oxygen minimum zone of the Arabian Sea

Measurements of total organic carbon (TOC) for two years in Kuwaiti waters showed high TOC levels (101.0–318.4, mean 161.2 μM) with maximal concentrations occurring within the polluted Kuwait Bay and decreasing offshore, indicating substantial anthropogenic component. Analysis of winter-time data revealed a large increase in density over the past four decades due to decrease in Shatt Al-Arab runoff, implying that the dissolved/suspended organic matter in surface waters of the northern Gulf could be quickly injected into the Gulf Deep Water (GDW). Our measurements together with an analysis of previously collected/published data suggest that the recent summer-time declining trend in oxygen in the GDW might be related to eutrophication. Higher preformed TOC and lower preformed dissolved oxygen contents of the high-salinity water mass that flows out of the Gulf and ventilates the mesopelagic oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) of the Northwestern Indian Ocean may cause expansion/intensification of the regional OMZ.

Spatial and temporal analysis of the risks posed by total petroleum hydrocarbon and trace element contaminants in coastal waters of Kuwait

Nine trace elements including As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Ni, Pb, V and Zn, and total petroleum hydrocarbons were analysed from water samples collected from 23 stations since 1984 from Kuwaiti coastal waters. Here it was investigated whether concentrations of these determinants are at levels above Kuwaiti and internationally established assessment criteria (AC). The results indicate that Cu and Cd had the most Kuwaiti AC breaches over time. Comparing the data of the last sampled year to the least stringent international AC, then Cu and Cd showed breaches at all stations. The trends for trace metals are significantly downwards, especially for Cd and Hg. No determinant measured showed a significant upward trend, indicating that water pollution for these contaminants is not a worsening situation. However, further sampling should be carried out to confirm these findings, especially at shoreline locations, where routine monitoring ceased in 2011 to investigate any recent changes.

Identification of Bacterial Species in Kuwaiti Waters Through DNA Sequencing

With an objective of identifying the bacterial diversity associated with ecosystem of various Kuwaiti Seas, bacteria were cultured and isolated from 3 water samples. Due to the difficulties for cultured and isolated fecal coliforms on the selective agar plates, bacterial isolates from marine agar plates were selected for molecular identification. 16S rRNA genes were successfully amplified from the genome of the selected isolates using Universal Eubacterial 16S rRNA primers. The resulted amplification products were subjected to automated DNA sequencing. Partial 16S rDNA sequences obtained were compared directly with sequences in the NCBI database using BLAST as well as with the sequences available with Ribosomal Database Project (RDP).