Sana’a - SABA:
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources strongly condemned what it described as an environmental crime along the coast of Socotra Island, after more than 80 dolphins were found beached in the Shu’ab area, many of them dead.
In a statement received by the Yemeni News Agency (SABA), the Ministry noted that this is the second such incident in a short period and poses a serious ecological threat to the island’s marine system.
The Ministry emphasized that the repeated occurrence of this phenomenon cannot be considered natural or accidental, but rather a dangerous indicator of suspicious human activity and potential marine pollution, allegedly linked to illegal operations by foreign vessels in Yemeni waters. The statement specifically accused the UAE occupation forces of being behind these destructive activities, carried out under the guise of developmental projects with colonial motives.
The Ministry suggested that chemical or acoustic marine pollution caused by large vessels and heavy maritime equipment could be a major factor, as such disturbances disrupt the dolphins’ navigational senses, leading to erratic group behavior.
The Ministry also stated that its environmental and technical teams are exploring other scientific hypotheses, including potential outbreaks of viral or bacterial diseases affecting the dolphins’ nervous systems, or environmental factors such as disrupted ocean currents and changes in sea temperatures, which may have destabilized Socotra’s surrounding ecosystem.
The statement stressed that what is happening off the coast of Socotra is a deliberate assault on Yemen’s marine resources and a blatant violation of national sovereignty. It held the UAE and other complicit foreign entities fully accountable for the escalating environmental crimes and their consequences.
The Ministry called for an urgent national and international investigation to hold the responsible parties accountable. It also urged the United Nations and global environmental organizations to intervene immediately to protect the Socotra Archipelago, which is listed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, from what it described as deliberate and systematic destruction.
Lastly, the Ministry called on the citizens of Socotra, in particular, to remain vigilant and steadfast in defending their marine environment against all attempts at sabotage and exploitation.
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