Environmental management of coastal regions in the Persian Gulf

Iran, having two separate coastlines at its north and south of about 3000km length, suffers from various coastal problems. Persian Gulf is a semi-enclosed sea located in the Middle East and is connected to oceans through the narrow 55-km Strait of Hormuz. The occurrence of two wars in the Persian Gulf during the last two decades has rendered hydrocarbon pollution a major issue for this country’s marine and coastal environment.. The Regional Organization for Protection of Marine Environment (ROPME) forum was established in Kuwait in 1979 and quickly ratified by seven new member states (Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates). To overcome the Problems, Integrated Coastal Management has been considered by Iran’s government as a long-term solution In this paper after reviewing Persian Gulf’s coastal zone characteristics and problems, the long-term goals, strategies, and policies for sustainable management of Persian Gulf’s coastal areas are outlined. With the existing situation in the Gulf region, ROPME can effectively coordinate and implement the following tasks: monitor water quality and coastal habitat, develop and implement a comprehensive pollution prevention scheme, educate the public in terms of coastal preservation, train technical staff, put in place an effective pollution prevention and waste management programme, and establish the basis for an integrated regional coastal zone management plan.

Environmental management of coastal regions in the Persian Gulf Keywords:

coastal problems , Persian Gulf , management