Karachi (TDI): With the intention of protecting its distinctive but declining wildlife, Churna Island became Pakistan’s second marine protected area early in September.
Situated in the Arabian Sea, around 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Karachi, the commercial center, the island is regarded by environmentalists as a biodiversity hotspot featuring numerous unique marine species and coral formations.
They are alerting people to the serious threats that the island’s biodiversity faces, such as growing industrial activity, marine pollution, and illegitimate fishing.
Muhammad Moazzam Khan, a technical adviser at WWF-Pakistan, told Anadolu that the island’s marine ecosystem and diverse wildlife are seriously threatened by a number of anthropogenic activities, such as the construction of power plants, single-point mooring, an oil refinery nearby, and recreational activities.
With its expansive coral habitat and capacity to support whales, whale sharks, mobulid rays, sunfish, and other huge fish, he claimed that the island is one of Pakistan’s most distinctive natural ecosystems.
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According to him, hundreds of fishermen from the provinces of southern Sindh and southwest Balochistan depend on the waters surrounding the island for their livelihoods, and they too run the risk of losing them.
He also mentioned that a single-point mooring that carries oil to a refinery is located a short distance from the island.
“This carries too much risk. The island might be destroyed if there is a spill someday,” Khan said.
Moreover, he mentioned two power plants, one of which was a coal-fired plant, that release harmful emissions that are already beginning to have an impact on the environment.
The first coral bleaching in the region’s history occurred in 2022, he continued, most likely as a result of temperature anomalies brought on by industrial activity.
Need for stringent measures and controls. Increasing marine pollution, illicit fishing, and unregulated tourism are the other main dangers, according to Karachi-based environmentalist Syed Khizar Sharif.
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He claimed that there is a severe dearth of knowledge on the potential risks that the island may face from illicit fishing operations and marine pollution.
Regarding tourism, Churna Island is a well-liked location for jet skiing, cliff jumping, scuba diving, and snorkeling, among other sports.
